Owning My Mistake
by NJ Blackthorne
Summary: Kate made a mistake 9 years ago and is afraid how that mistake will impact on her relationship with Castle. Please keep in mind that this fiction, not fact. Just something to make you feel an emotion.
1. Fixing mistakes

Kate Beckett sat at her desk doing paperwork. Castle sat beside her desk reading a paper. "Quit staring at me, Castle." She said, not even looking up.

"What's wrong?" Rick Castle had voice as smooth as chocolate and as heady as brandy. His voice also betrayed his concern for his partner.

He had known Beckett for over three years. He knew every button to push, how she took her coffee, the smell of cherries on her skin, her favorite ice cream and her favorite movie. He had held her when she cried and suffered with her in her pain. He had no doubt that he loved her, but she couldn't see beyond the mistakes he made in life. Two marriages, flings with his ex-wives, even his "criminal past" like stealing a cop's horse and riding nude through Central Park. He knew every nuance of her voice and could reliably predict her actions. Beckett was upset and more than slightly depressed. His Kate was also terrified. He had never seen Kate terrified and that scared him.

"Why would you think something is wrong?" She turned her green eyes to meet his blue ones. "I'm fine. Why don't you go home? The day is a bust. It is quiet."

Castle knew he was being stonewalled. In her present mood, she would tell him nothing. He stood looking down at her glossy brown hair. She had lost weight, weight she couldn't afford to lose, over the past few weeks and was jumpy, anxious. "If you need anything, call me." He grasped her hand. "I can help, Kate, whatever you need."

Kate's eyes began to fill with tears before she blinked them back. "I am fine, Castle. Honestly. I'll see you tomorrow." She pushed her chair back and almost ran to the bathroom.

His stomach cramped. He knew something was wrong. Could his Kate be sick? Was her Dad ok? He could help her if only she would tell him what it was that was bothering her. He knew he could – if she only trusted him a little. He tore a piece of paper off a pad and wrote a note to Beckett, then folded it in half and left it on her desk. Forlornly, he picked up his jacket and walked out of the precinct, depressed himself.

Kate Beckett watched as Rick Castle left the squad room. Slowly, she walked back over to her desk and looked at the note he had left. She picked it up, almost afraid to see what he had wrote. Opening the folded note she read _"Trust me, Kate. I would do anything to help you, anything, anytime and anywhere." _

She abruptly sat down. If she told him, he would hate her. No, she told herself, not hate her, but it would destroy the friendship they had developed over the years. She had to keep her distance from him; calling him Castle was one way. She also pushed her boyfriends at him. His marriages, affairs and past were nothing compared to what she had done nine years ago and now it was coming back to haunt her. She made a mistake and it was huge.

She needed to tell someone before she imploded, before she compounded it with another mistake. She thought of all the people she knew. Her thoughts kept coming back to Castle. He couldn't fix the mistake but maybe she could explain it in a way that he wouldn't be disgusted with her. Maybe he could just listen while she told him about her mistake.

* * *

Richard Castle sat on the sofa attempting to work on his latest novel, but Beckett kept floating through his mind. His worry grew as he thought of her. He didn't know how to help or even if he should, but whatever was bothering her was affecting every part of her life. If she kept acting like this he was sure that the Captain would force her to see the police psychiatrist. He put down his laptop on the coffee table and laid his back, closing his eyes.

The door bell rang. Castle's head popped up and looked at the clock. It was a little after 1 am. His mother and Alexis had gone to Philadelphia for a play his mother was performing in. No one could have come up to his apartment without being allowed in by him. He had to have them on the access list or security would have called.

Saying a little prayer to the powers that be he opened the door. His prayers were answered in the form of tall brunette with green eyes. Eyes that showed extreme stress and were bloodshot. "Come in, Kate."

She walked in apprehensively and looked around the apartment. He always thought it was due to her being a cop, looking for any potential hazards rather than any interest in his home. "Did you mean it?" She asked softly. "Anything. Anytime. Anywhere?" Her green as glass eyes held his sapphire ones.

He took her by the arm and pulled her to him. "I would kill for you. Or help you hide the body if you killed someone. If you were in prison, I would get you out." He said cocking his head at her to remind her of similar words she had once told him. "In fact, I would have you out of the country so fast that you wouldn't spend one second in prison."

She closed her eyes and a tear rolled down her check. Castle was becoming alarmed. He used his thumb to wipe away the tear. "Kate. Tell me what is wrong." He shook her slightly then pulled her into his arms. They stood there while she cried as though her heart was breaking.

When the tears tapered off, he drew her to the sofa and pushed her on to it. He knelt at her feet, holding her face in his hands. "Tell me."

Beckett took a deep breath. "You'll hate me or be disgusted." Her watery eyes looked from her hands to his face. "I did something terrible nine years ago. You are so good at it. I couldn't do it. Now I have to and I don't know what to do." She sobbed. He grabbed some tissue and shoved them in her hands.

He sat down beside her and pulled her back into his arms. He could not imagine what he was so good at that she wasn't nor what she had to do now. The crying lessened to a point where she would be able to hear him. "I would never hate you. Nothing you could do would ever cause me to hate you. Or be disgusted by you." His writer's imagination began to explode. He thought of every scenario he could ever imagine and came up with the same answer. Kate would never do anything illegal, immoral or just plain stupid.

She tipped back her head and looked at him. Her face was blotchy and damp with tears; her eyelashes spiky, no lipstick were left on her beautifully shaped lips. He licked his lips, leaning closer, wanting nothing more than to lay his lips on hers. "I gave away my baby nine years ago."

He stared at her trying to make sense of her words. His mind had moved from the top of his shoulders to just under his belt. Finally, as she tried to rip herself out of his arms, he understood what she was telling him. "Kate, stop. You just surprised me. I thought I was going to have to find a hit man to take care of the witnesses." He rubbed her cheek. "Tell me about it."

She looked down at her hands and let the story pour from her mind. She had been 19 years old when her mother had been killed just weeks before. She had gone to a frat party with her girl friends, gotten drunk and woke up in some guy's bed. Scared to death she had taken off, never looking at the guy. A month later she found out she was pregnant. She had no idea who the man was, didn't remember what he looked like and, if the other members of the fraternity knew, that never admitted it. She had looked at pictures of the entire membership, past and present, of the fraternity; best guess was that he had been a guest to this party, too. There had been a lot of people at that party to coincide with a lot a booze.

She had not planned on having children for a long time. She had college to finish and she was thinking about joining the NYPD. She gave birth to a girl and put the child up for adoption. She thought end of story. Three weeks ago, she had been contacted by Child Protective Services regarding her daughter. The original adoptive parents died when the child was five. She bounced around from foster home to foster home becoming more and more difficult to place because of her ill temper and outlook. She hated every one and there were no exceptions.

CPS decided to see if they could locate the birth parents of Jordon. When the social worker saw the name on her original birth certificate, she thought it would be a cake walk because she had worked with Kate. It seemed a simple matter to contact Kate to see if Kate had changed her mind about her daughter. Except Jordon didn't want any part of Kate and Kate was terrified of being a mother. They had never met except for the few minutes Kate had held her when she was born. Jordon Ferguson was so adamant about not wanting to be with her birth mother that she ran away from her temporary foster home and survived over two weeks on the street. She had been found, little worse from wear but still angry.

Castle held on to Kate as she poured out her story. "She'll be nine in two months. I am supposed to meet her Saturday." She looked at the clock. "Today. In about 8 hours." She finished her story and looked at Castle. "So, see you can't 'fix' this. I have to do something and I don't know what." She leaned her head back and put her hands over her eyes and waited for Castle to tell her … something.

Castle digested what Beckett had told him. "Why would I hate you? You could have aborted her. You didn't. And I wouldn't have hated you for that either." He added and then shrugged. "You tried to do right by finding her a home with loving parents, to give her a chance at life that you could not provide." Castle smiled down at Beckett. "You did the best you could do in the circumstances. As always."

Kate's jaw firmed. "What about you and Alexis? You kept her. She's a great kid." She looked away. "You are a great dad."

Castle laughed. "First rule of parenting. You do your best, you give it your all and still they will tell you how bad you are as a parent. I do it to my mother and Alexis does it to me. No matter how you slice it, you will never be a perfect parent because people aren't perfect." He smiled at Kate. "We all make decisions that we believe are correct at the time. We do our best. Rarely do you have the opportunity to change a decision."

She smiled back slightly. "But, what do I do? Do I take her? She doesn't want me. She hates me. She told the CPS worker, Ms. Rossi, that she wished I was dead and her father, too. What do I do?" She was beginning to look more than a little frazzled.

He smoothed her hair and then pulled her to him and hugged her. "That." She looked at him confused. "You love her, Kate with everything in you, to the day you die. You were a good parent. You gave her a wonderful start in life. It is not your fault that her other parents died or that she hasn't been adopted again."

"I haven't decided to keep her. She might be better off elsewhere." Kate fretted.

Castle shook his head. "Yes, you have decided. Or you wouldn't be here." He kissed Kate's forehead. "You want breakfast before we head out to buy furniture for your daughter's room?"


	2. Meeting Jordon

Meeting Jordon

They never made it to the furniture store because they fell asleep on the sofa. Castle was lying stretched out with Kate on top of him, snuggled to his chest. Her head lay directly over his heart. He wrapped his arms about her ostensibly to keep her from rolling off him and on to the floor. She wasn't dying. She wasn't leaving him. She wasn't marrying that idiot doctor with the motorcycle and the teeth. She had a little girl.

He strained his neck to see the clock. They had to get up in the next few minutes to have breakfast or Beckett was going to be late for her meeting with her daughter. He wondered if the little girl had her mother's looks. From what Kate had said about the child, the little girl had her spirit and attitude of taking no prisoners. He couldn't wait to meet Jordon. He had no doubt the child would capture his heart just as her mother had done.

He tightened his hold on Kate and looked down at her open eyes. He smiled and brushed a finger down her nose. She pulled free and they both sat up. Beckett was back and Kate had retreated behind the mask. Castle touched her shoulder. "Are we good?" He asked rubbing gently.

She stood up and walked away from him. "Yes, sure. We're good. I'm sorry I bothered you. I …." Her voice drifted away. She looked uncomfortable and scared.

He stood almost nose to nose with her. "You are never a bother. I am going with you to see Jordon." Beckett pulled away from Castle. "I am with you every step of the way."

She nodded. "But …" Beckett stopped as Castle raised his hand right in front of her face.

"Talk to hand 'cause I ain't listening." He went to the kitchen and started coffee. "Eggs and bacon or waffles? Something else?"

Kate Beckett stared at Richard Castle. Of all the scenarios she had imagined this one was not even a stray thought. He accepted what she had said and still cared, he didn't hate her and he wanted to support her, anywhere, anyway and anytime.

Smiling, he handed her a cup of coffee. "Step it up, Beckett, we got a place to be in less than two hours."

Less than two hours later, they pulled into the drive way of the home that held her daughter. Castle had his driver take them as Beckett was so nervous she had chewed her lips almost bloody. He thought it was rather funny watching his calm, unshakeable, level headed Detective being scared to death because of an 8 year old child. His smile dropped away when he remembered Alexis at that age and blaming him for her mother's defection which resulted in him marrying Gina. It was Gina who had set Alexis straight regarding her mother. He could understand her feelings.

"Ready?" Castle asked as he took Kate's hand and pulled her from the car.

Beckett stomach knotted and she felt as if she was going to be sick. Jordon hated her. This was a very bad idea. "Castle. I should …" Her words went dry in her throat when she saw a little girl looking at her through the front window. "Never mind. Let's go."

Castle put an arm around Beckett's waist and gently tugged her to the front door. Before he could knock the door flew open revealing a little girl with long, straight light brown hair and azure blue eyes. She had a tiny, feminine cleft in her chin and a dimple in her right cheek. Her lips were pursed and a frown was stamped between her graceful brows. Her eyes went back and forth between the adults. Her arms crossed and she began patting her foot. Castle looked at Beckett's daughter, he had no doubt that this was Jordon, having been on the wrong side of the adult version of that look more times than he would have liked.

"Well?" The little girl demanded. "You my parents?" Her body screamed defiance yet there was a minute tremor to her lips.

Beckett stared at the child. She saw nothing of her in this child. Beckett took a deep breath. "Yes. Rather I'm your … that is, he's not…" She trailed off staring at Jordon.

Castle kept his smirks under control. He held out his hand to the child. "I'm Richard Castle. A friend of your mother." He squeezed Kate's shoulder. "This is your mother. Kate Beckett."

She looked at both of them and turned away walking back into the house. The foster mother suddenly appeared at the door. "Jordy's parents? I thought it was only her mother coming. She surely looks like you Mr. Beckett. My oh my." She took a deep breath and let it out. The odor of cigarettes surrounded them. "I'm Rosalie Turner. I'm her foster mother. Come on in." She held the door open encouraging them across the threshold of her home.

As they crossed the doorstep, they saw Jordon watching a small TV. The house was cluttered and smelled of cats and dirty litter boxes. "Jordy, come say your 'how do's' to your parents." She reached over and flipped off the TV.

Jordon raised an eyebrow at Mrs. Turner. It was purely Beckett. "My name is Jordon. I have all ready met them at the front door. She is my birth mother but he is just a special friend." Her voice was cold and far too old for her age.

"I thought you were her father." Mrs. Turner glared at him as if he had lied to her.

"No. You said that. I'm Richard Castle, a friend of her mother." He looked around the dirty house. He had to get Jordon out of here. It couldn't be healthy.

"I know your name from somewhere." Mrs. Turner sighed and turned away. "Talk to the kid."

She wandered over and flipped on the TV to watch the soaps. Castle cleaned off a section of the sofa for Beckett and him to sit down. "I don't know what to say to you, Jordon." Beckett offered quietly.

"Why are you here?" Jordon stormed up to Beckett, almost eye to eye. "You dumped me before. Why you coming up now."

Beckett took a deep breath. "I can understand you being angry. When I gave birth to you I was too young to care for you. I thought you had a good home. Somewhere safe and where you would be loved."

"You couldn't love me?" Castle heart cracked hearing the child's sad words.

Beckett stretched her hand out towards the child and gently touched her arm. "I have always loved you, Jordon, but part of being a good parent is doing what you think is right." She smiled up at Castle. "A good friend told me that."

Jordon looked at her mother, distrusting the touch and the words. "I was told you were a cop."

Beckett smiled at her daughter. "I am a detective with the 12th precinct."

Jordon turned her blue eyes towards Castle. "You're a writer. My mommy used read your books." She stopped and looked at Beckett. "She'll always be my mommy."

Beckett leaned forward. "That's good because she loved you and took care of you." She touched her daughter's fine hair. "We'll figure it out, Jordon."


	3. Meeting Friends

Meeting Friends

Castle walked outside to make a phone call. The CPS needed to be made aware of the conditions in this house. He wanted to take Jordon out of here today. Mrs. Rossi agreed to come out now and take a look. He called the judge he played poker with and the judge agreed to sign a temporary custody order for him awarding Beckett custody until things could be arranged a little more legally, providing that was what she wanted. He told Judge Carmichael that he would call back within the hour.

Beckett watched as Castle left the house before turning her attention back to Jordon. "Who's my dad?"

Beckett looked at the small child and decided to follow Castle's example of always telling Alexis the truth. "I don't know." She couldn't tell an eight year old about the night of her conception.

Jordon had been exposed to a lot during the last four years in foster homes. Her manners were bad and she saw no reason to improve them. "You got lots of special friends, do you?" Jordon's manner was disrespectful and full of implication.

"What are special friends, Jordon?" Castle asked sitting back down and crossing his legs. He gently took Beckett's cold hand and squeezed, but his eyes never left Jordon's.

"You know. Those kind that do things to ladies and gives them things." Jordon's voice sounded strained.

"I can promise you that Kate has never had special friends. When you get older I am sure she will tell you everything she knows about your father." Castle leaned forward, putting his forehead against Jordon's. "In the meantime, how about you stop slicing at her with that sharp tongue of yours."

Jordon's gaze became mutinous. "No." She appraised Castle. "What are you going to do about that, Mr. Writer Man? I am bad all the way to the bone. " She nodded her head at Mrs. Turner. "That's what she says when she locks me in the basement."

Adult heads turned towards the other adult in the room. "She'll punish me later for opening the door."

Beckett leaned forward towards her child. "Don't bet on it." She hooked her thumb towards Castle. "I'll lay odds that he'll have you sprung within the hour." She looked at the doubting face of her daughter. "That is if you want to leave here and come home with me?"

The little girl's eyes swung back and forth between the two people on the sofa. "Couldn't be any worse than this, right?"

It took a little longer than an hour but they were soon out the door with Mrs. Rossi blessing after talking to Judge Carmichael. Mrs. Turner was not a happy person by the time little Jordon left. Jordon had told all of Mrs. Turner's secrets and was now being investigated for neglect and abuse.

Jordon sat between the two adults. "So, what are you going to do with me?"

Kate looked at her young daughter. "Well, we need to get a bigger apartment. I have only got a one bedroom with a small study." Beckett sighed. She hadn't thought any further ahead than getting Jordon out of that awful place.

Castle grinned. "You both are coming home with me. I have plenty of space."

Beckett's phone rang. It was playing 'Jailhouse Rock.' She threw an evil look at Castle. He had messed with her phone – again. "Beckett." She listened for a few moments then said "I … we'll be right there."

"Where we going?" An inquisitive little girl asked.

Castle looked at the child. "The precinct for now."

Castle could tell that Beckett was on a mission. She was going to get over the hard part of her being a mother by telling her team. She had a hold of Jordon's hand, leading her to her desk. Castle followed a little behind the mother and daughter team.

He sat in his usual chair and waited for Beckett to work out her plan. He had seen her do it a hundred times over the past years. "Castle. I need to talk to the Captain. Will you watch Jordon?"

Jordon frowned and crossed her arms. "I don't ne.."

"Yes. You. Do." Beckett told her before Jordon could complete the sentence. "Be a grown up, Castle. Not partner in crime." Beckett marched off to speak to the Captain.

Jordon sat in her mother's chair and began spinning it, until she noticed a couple of men watching her. "What? You haven't got something better to do than watch a kid?"

Castle glanced over his shoulder at Kevin Ryan and Javier Esposito. They approached Beckett's desk. "So, you got another kid, Castle? Or did Alexis shrink?" Esposito said looking at Jordon. "No way. She's your kid, Castle, right?"

Jordon approached the two men. Her hands were on her hips, her browed furrowed and her young voice tight. "He says he's not my dad. Did you bang my mom? She said she …" She glared at all the men.

Castle clapped a hand over the little girl's mouth. "Sharp tongue, remember? Be nice." He removed his hand and gave her a stern look.

Ryan looked from the little girl to Castle and then at Beckett in the Captain's office. He knelt down to get a closer look at the small child. "A little Beckett."

"I am Jordon Rebecca Ferguson. Not a little Beckett." She leaned forward, nose to nose with Ryan. "Got it?"

He pulled back and stood up. "How? When?" He directed his stare at Castle. "You guys knew each other before?" Ryan knew this had to be Beckett's kid. The attitude was his boss's times ten.

Castle had already searched his memory of any drunken escapades at a fraternity nine years ago when he heard Kate's story. He was no angel, but he really didn't think Jordon could be his. He had just married Gina then and, despite what everyone may think, he had been faithful to his wife. "No, you were here when I met her."

"Really?" A wealth of doubt existed in that word. Esposito looked at his boss who was rapidly tapping her way over to them in her high heeled boots with the Captain following.

"Trust me. This is one tarred brush with which I cannot be painted, so put the feathers away." Castle tossed back at both the men.

Jordon watched the interplay between Beckett's team and pinned a look at Castle. "You think you're too good to be my dad?" Under the tough exterior, Castle saw the hurt and fear.

"I would have loved to have been your father." He looked at child and could see the weariness in her face. Too many changes, too fast for a child this young. Trust was something that was built over time and through living. This little one trusted no one. "I don't know who my father is either." He offered.

"Huh." Jordon took his words as he had meant them. "No dad and my … Kate don't want either of us really."

Castle took Jordon by the arms and pulled her closer. "Your mom is just as terrified as you are and you both handle it the same way." He pushed her bangs back and gently kissed her forehead. "You both fight tooth and nail and let nothing get in your way to arrive at a place where you can write your own story. Don't be scared, Jordon, I'll be here for the both of you. Friends?"

She pulled slight away from him. "I'm not scared. I can take care of myself." She turned away from him but walked to his side and leaned her small shoulder against his big one. "But I guess we can be friends."

Kate watched the interchange between her best friend male friend and a child that she didn't know, but for her sins, was her daughter. "Everything alright?" She questioned. Both heads nodded at her. They may not be father and daughter, but the resemblance between them was astounding.

"Captain Montgomery, this is my daughter, Jordon." She looked at Jordon. "Jordon, this is my boss, Captain Montgomery."

Jordon sized up the older black man. Keeping her arms folded, she pushed harder against Castle's shoulder. He nudged her. Reluctantly, she held out her hand. "Jordon Ferguson. Sir."

Montgomery took the small hand in his and shook it with all the deference he would have given the mayor. "Pleasure to meet you, Jordon."

She stepped back and leaned against Castle once more. As Beckett introduced her daughter to her team officially, he had an opportunity to watch them. The child was Beckett in personality, but her looks seemed to be Castle. Jordon's eyes, both in color and shape, were his as well as the smile that flashed across her face was one he had seen many times over the years. The thing that surprised him, however, was how very tiny she was compared to her mother. She looked smaller than his six year old son.

"Are you going to leave now?" Montgomery asked. "I'll push through the FMLV."

Beckett nodded and saw Castle's confusion. "Family Leave. For birth, adoption or family emergencies. I guess this is all of them." She laughed at the expressions of shock on Esposito and Ryan's faces. "So, for the next six weeks, you're it boys."

She touched the sleepy head of her daughter who was now sitting on Castle's lap dozing. Her head lay against his chest and his arms were wrapped loosely around her body. Her hands were fisted in his shirt, holding him tight. She knew how warm and comfortable he was. Yeah, they were a lot alike. "I'm going to get to know my daughter."


	4. Castle's Castle

Jordon was deeply asleep by the time they had reached the loft. Castle put her in one of the spare rooms and stepped away. Kate pulled Jordon's off her shoes and jeans and covered the sleeping little girl. She watched her daughter for a moment before turning away. Castle was leaning against the wall near the door, his arms crossed and secret smile across his face.

Castle pulled Kate from the room then hooked her arm through his. "We need to talk." He told her as they walked down the stairs.

"Coffee?" Castle asked entering the kitchen area. "Hungry?" Before she could say anything, he was reaching in the fridge for the left over pot roast. "Never mind. You are going to eat something."

Beckett watched him putter about the kitchen. "Thanks, Castle."

He stopped preparing the two pot roast sandwiches and looked at her. Casually, he wiped off his hands on a towel and stepped around to the chair that she was sitting and swung it to face him. Beckett looked up into his face and he peered down. "You never have to thank me for anything. I would do anything for you." Cupping her face with his big hands, "I am going to kiss you now. If you don't want me to, then tell me now."

Seconds later Castle was being kissed, cherry scent surrounding him. His mind closed down. He had waited for this for years. His arms slid around her middle while Beckett's hands cupped his head. It lasted forever yet only seconds before they broke apart breathing hard. Castle cleared his throat while Beckett sank back into her chair speechless. He hugged her to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and held on for dear life. They held on to each other, feeling the warmth of the other sinking into the empty parts of their hearts and soul. He let go of her after dropping a quick kiss on her swollen lips.

Castle began preparing their late lunch again, humming as he did so. Kate tried to figure out what was going through his mind. She remembered the time after their first case was finished that she would never be one of Castle's girls. She didn't know where this was going and she had a child to consider now.

"Stop it, Kate." Castle set a sandwich and a cup of coffee in front of her. He placed his beside her and sat down. "Anytime, anywhere, anyway. I am going nowhere and neither are you."

Kate looked at his handsome, resolute face. Her face was equally determined. "I won't be one of your girls. I have a daughter to think about now."

He cut her off with a finger over her soft lips. "You have always been one of my girls. Just like the little one upstairs is one of my girls." He kissed her tenderly. "My girls are Alexis, mother, you and Jordon. But more importantly, sweetheart, you are my lady. My only lady."

"What about all the women I have seen you with or heard about over the last few years. You are the playboy writer, the sex god extraordinaire. The man I love that was having an affair with his ex-wife. Gina told me that …" Kate drifted off, her words reverberating in her mind. _"Crap."_ Beckett's face flushed the color of Castle's blood red shirt.

Castle hooted, pushed the plates away and swung her up, setting her on the counter. Stepping between her legs, he put his hands on the counter top on each side of her body. "I don't know which to answer to first. I like the sex god extraordinaire!" He kissed her and placed his arms on her shoulders. "Gina is … Gina. She sees what she wants to see and does what she wants without thought of whom she could hurt. She isn't mean just thoughtless."

"Now comes my favorite part of what you said." Castle smiled gently. "You love me." His hands cupped her face. "I love you. I have since the moment I met you." He shrugged his shoulders. "Well not the moment because it was definitely lust at first site, but shortly thereafter."

Beckett stared at the man she had wanted since she was a girl in high school reading his first book. She had saved clipping from newspapers and scandal sheet about him. She had fantasized about him in different way since she was old enough to understand what the word 'hot' implied when attached to a human. She began falling in love with him on their first case and it had grown inside of her until she didn't know where she ended and he began. Still there was a problem. She didn't share and for her marriage was a forever commitment. "I don't share." There it was out. Kate told him.

"I am assuming you are talking about non-family members?" Castle asked. Beckett nodded her head solemnly. "Good. Because I don't share either. That's why I have been divorced twice." He frowned. "Don't believe those new rags."

Castle hugged her close to him and then pulled her down from the countertop and dropped her into a chair. He pushed her meal in front of her then plopping into his chair he took a bite of his sandwich. Beckett looked at him, confused by his actions until she heard little feet on the staircase. "I have been listening for children a lot longer than you." He smiled and pushed her sandwich at her "Eat."

Jordon came into the kitchen and looked at the sandwiches. "You gonna starve me?" She asked crossly, rubbing her blue eyes. Moments later, she was happily munching on a sandwich and a glass of milk.

Castle put the dishes into the dishwasher and listened to Beckett talk to her daughter. Jordon was being difficult which he was beginning to think was normal for her. He would have to ask Kate's dad about Kate as a small child. A thought suddenly occurred to him. Beckett's dad – did he know he had a granddaughter? Castle looked at the clock and groaned. It was after 10 pm and that little nap had revitalized Jordon.

"You ok over there?" Beckett turned towards him. He could see dark circles forming under her eyes.

"Just ducky." Castle looked at Jordon and gave a little sigh. The child was wired. He remembered Alexis at this age. A nap of two hours guaranteed no sleep for anyone until early morning or late night, depending on how you looked at it.

Castle joined them on the sofa. He closed his eyes and remembered those moments with Kate. Sitting up, he looked at Kate. "Your dad?"

Jordon's eyes lit up. "I got a grandpa?"

Kate looked across Jordon to Castle. "I haven't told him yet." She looked at her daughter. "Yes, but he doesn't know you are living with us. I mean me." Kate flushed.

Castle stretched out his hand across the back of the sofa to Kate's. "When are you planning to call him?" He rubbed his forefinger on her hand, garnering her attention. "I like the 'us'."

"It's too late now. First thing tomorrow, I guess." She leaned back on the sofa, inches from her daughter. "Will that be ok? Meeting your granddad tomorrow?" Beckett asked Jordon.

Jordon nodded as she watched the two adults. She knew something was going on. They were acting funny. The guy was nice but Jordon knew that could change the second he was not trying to impress her … Beckett. Beckett didn't want her. She tried to run away before Jordon opened the door. Jordon figured Beckett took her because she wanted to impress this guy. No, Jordon decided, it was that Beckett had found her father and was now trying to nail him for money. That made more sense than impressing this Castle dude.

Castle saw Jordon's mind working. She was working something out and had finally reached a conclusion. "Whatever you just decided is wrong." He tapped Jordon on her head with his finger.

Jordon scowled at him. "How do you know what I was thinking?" She demanded, her little face becoming pugnacious.

Castle leaned towards the child and the child leaned towards him. Beckett was biting her lip to keep from laughing out loud. She took her phone from her pocket and snapped a picture of the two of them. They may not be blood related, but the expression was out-and-out Castle. Her little girl was a born mimic: Face stern, eyes narrowed, one eyebrow lifted and bottom lip stuck out. She looked just like him in miniature form. Kate wondered if it was possible. She thought back to that night, but it was a blur. Surely, she would not have forgotten sleeping with her fantasy man. She considered for a moment. Lanie could help her rule out Castle as Jordon's father. She almost wished it was Castle. It would make life much easier in the long run.

"I come from a long line of mind readers." Castle said in response to Jordon's question. "You were thinking I was being nice to you for your mom's sake. Then you decided that your mother had discovered who your father was and was going to exhort money from him. And," he held up his finger, placing it on his temple, "You still can't decided what to call your mother."

Beckett could tell Jordon was trying to develop a poker face, but failed miserably. Jordon resembled a fish out of water for a moment before she continued the salvo. "You don't know nothing. She's Beckett. She's just the lady who got stuck with me 'cause I am a kid that nobody wanted." Jordon's bottom lip began to quiver. "She's not my mom. And you can't come from a long line of anything 'cause you're a little bastard like me."

Castle had been prepared for almost anything, except that. Now he resembled the drowning fish, but recovered quickly. "She is Beckett and your mother. Just like I have a mother, too. You will meet her later. And my daughter, Alexis." Tears began to splash down Jordon's cheeks. He pulled the small child to his chest then reached out to pull her weeping mother to him. The girls snuggled into his shoulders. "Jordon. We have a unique opportunity to create our own fathers. He can be anyone we want him to be. Our mothers did the best they could with what they had at the time. We are not bastards. We are the children of women who love too well and, in the end, will always love us for us."

Both of his girls placed gentle wet kisses on his cheek and snuggled back down into his damp shirt.


	5. Castles Abound

Castle carried Jordon back to her bed and quickly got her in bed. She fussed for a moment before settling into sleep. He sat on the edge of the bed and watched her. She was so much like him and Beckett that it was eerie. He decided to talk to Lanie about a DNA test. He needed to talk to Beckett about before he jumped in with his size 14 shoes like he did with her mother's murderer.

Beckett watched him watch her daughter. She wondered if Castle only wanted an affair. She smiled. Theirs would never be an affair, burning hot and quickly only to burn out in a few days or months. She believed Castle when he told her he loved her and that love would extend to everyone and everything she loved. He was the most generous man she knew.

Beckett pulled on his sleeve and waved him out of the room. As they walked down the hallway, she grasped his hand, locking their fingers together. "We can go back down stairs." Castle said, leading the way.

"I'm ready for bed." Beckett announced.

"Oh, Ok." Castle took a deep breath. "Jordon took the guest bedroom. You could sleep with her. It's a double bed." He swallowed as Kate touched his chest with her free hand. "Or you could sleep in Alexis' room. It is right next to Jordon. Mother's room is scary."

They were now standing chest to chest. She could feel his heart drumming rapidly under her hand. "Or I could use this room. It is right across the hallway from Jordon." She ducked her head at his room. Her finger ran the length of his chest, stopping at his belt buckle.

"Sure. You can use my room." Castle hoped she meant what he thought she meant. "But I come with the room."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Rick." Beckett reached up to kiss him as he bent down. Lips lingered for a moment.

He had waited three years for this. He remembered when he told her that he could be her conquest and her telling him "No." He remembered him telling her that it would have been great and her whispering in his ear that he would have no idea how great it would have been. He had three years to imagine this moment. Three years of developing the nuances. Three years of plotting and planning how this would work. Now he was going to find out and it would be perfect.

"Rick."

He snapped his eyes to Kate's green eyes. Praying that she hadn't changed her mind.

"Quit plotting and do me." Her face was alight with humor.

He slowly kissed her mouth, swung her into his arms, hugging her tight, carried her into his bedroom and shut the door with a small kick.

* * *

"Hey! Where is everyone?" A young voice carried through the hallway. Doors slammed as a child opened a closed them forcefully. "I'm hungry."

Castle sighed. _'Bad timing thy name is child. And that child was named Jordon.'_ Castle thought.

Beckett tipped her head up to look at … Rick. Rick in the bedroom and Castle outside. She had been right. Sex God Extraordinaire. She decided that she out to thank each and every one of his previous lovers. _'Nah.'_ she thought. _'It was hormones. Deep chocolate type hormones. Addictively deceptive ones. A narcotic. No NA for her.'_

They had to get up. Life was exploding outside the door, but they were so comfortable and warm. Castle was half reclining against the padded headboard and Beckett was cuddled against his side, her face on his stomach, their legs entwined. Her hand was stoking his chest and his rubbing her back. He felt … Wow and, he thought, she felt wonderful.

A kiss was exchanged before he jumped away and quickly dressed. There was another voice coming from the hallway. "Who are you, Kiddo?"

Castle was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt before Beckett ever left the bed. He shut the door behind him and stood facing Jordon, his mother and Alexis.

Alexis looked from Jordon to her father and back - several times. A slender red eyebrow climbed he forehead while a bemused expression decorated her face. He turned to his mother. For once, she said nothing, but he knew that it was a temporary situation.

Just as he was about to introduce Jordon, Kate came barreling out of his room and skidded to a stop a foot or so from him. Her face was a mask, her body tense. She looked at Castle as if trying to figure out what she was to do, act. Castle pulled her to his side and wrapped his arm around her slim shoulders. His eyes took in the rest of his family, Castle's girls. He decided he liked that moniker.

Jordon saw her mother coming out of Castle's bedroom. She didn't like it. Her face became a storm cloud, grey and threatening. Castle saw the change in Jordon and looked at Beckett to see if she had noticed. She was too busy examining the floor, her face a bright red. He liked what she was wearing – his t-shirt. "Go. Get dressed. I'll handle this." He whispered in her ear, brushing a kiss across her cheek.

Before she could move she was mobbed by his mother and Alexis. They hugged her, told her it was about time. "No walk of shame, darling." His mother told Beckett. "But who is this dear child?"

All faces turned towards Jordon who was staring at them in return as if they were aliens about to kidnap her. Beckett spoke up. "This is Jordon. My daughter."

Martha looked at the child that resembled her own son some 30 years ago. She knew that this little girl could not be his for many reasons. She allowed her mind to tumble back almost forty two years ago to a married man she loved beyond belief; she loved him enough to let him go and thrilled enough to keep a part of him that she simply could not let go. Richard was almost identical to her long ago lover. Stephen had been dead for almost 20 years.

"Hello, Jordon." Martha held out her hand to the young lady. She smiled at Jordon, "You may as well call me 'Grams' as Alexis does."

Jordon looked at the vibrant older woman. She glanced at Castle who gave her a face and raised his eyebrow. Jordon held out her hand. She looked at the girl that was still hugging her mother. She didn't like that either. Beckett belonged to her.

Alexis saw the look the little girl was giving her and remembered her own feelings at that age when she saw other people hugging her father, trying to get close to him and pretending to like her to have entrée to her dad. She let Beckett go and grabbed Jordon's hand.

"Dad makes the best breakfasts. Most of the time. His specialty is pancakes." She gave Beckett's daughter a glowing smile. "Are you hungry? I am." She dragged the child down the stairs to the kitchen. "Come on. I'm famished." She yelled over her shoulder.

"Get it started. We will be down in a minute." Castle looked at Beckett. "We need to get dressed first."

Martha was looking at the still blushing Beckett. "Kate, I need to speak to my son for a minute. I am very glad he finally kissed you, or whatever, while you were still young. Go get dressed. He will join you in a moment."

Beckett squeezed Castle's arm and returned to his room to dress. She really hoped there was a spare tooth brush somewhere in those deep cabinets in his bathroom. Just his bedroom and bathroom combined where larger than her entire apartment. She groaned softly. She needed to find another place to live. She was living in Manhattan now, just block from the precinct. A child meant clothes, doctors, school fees and probably things she had not even considered. She supposed she could clear out her study which was the size of a large closet and cost her almost half of her paycheck. No wonder cops moonlighted in this city. She smiled thinking about being Castle's bodyguard.

Martha examined her son's face. He was trying to do his poker face while giving her a brief rundown of the last 36 hours or so. He tapered off stammering a bit when he got to the part of telling Kate how he felt. She held out her hand. "What is between you and Kate is between you and Kate." Martha touched his cheek. "But she has a daughter to consider now. Be gentle. I have been in her boat and that boat leaks as you remember."

Kate was dressed when Castle entered his bedroom. She was searching his bathroom with all the concentration a cop hunting for clues. He folded his arms and leaned against the door frame. "Whatcha looking for?"

She pulled open another drawer and withdrew two packaged toothbrushes. She held it up to show him. "These. I didn't come prepared to spend the night and I don't if Jordon even has a toothbrush." She looked at the toothbrushes and then at the man owned them. "That is if you don't mind."

A slow, sexy, easy smile crossed his face. "Listen to me. You can have anything of mine you want." He took he shoulders and squeezed slightly. "Mi casa es su casa and all that." He slapped her butt lightly. "Let's get a move on. Our girls are waiting for us."

Alexis and Jordon faced each other over the pancake batter. "I am not going to take her from you, you know." Alexis told Jordon as she mixed the batter. "She is my friend but she's your mom."

Jordon shrugged. "It don't matter. She don't want me anyway." Jordon watched Alexis pour a little vanilla into the batter and then taste batter after stiring with the tip of her little finger.

"Huh." Alexis looked at the girl who looked so much like her dad. "She could have told them she didn't want you and never bothered to come see you."

"Then why'd she give me away?" She asked Alexis painfully, her voice husky. "Why'd she not get me when my other parents died?"

"My mom gave me to my dad when I was born because she couldn't do it. It wasn't that she doesn't care about me, it was just that she wasn't ready to be a mother." Alexis shared her story with Jordon hoping she could see the parallels between them. "I was lucky to have my dad. Now you have your mom. I am sure that if she knew what had happened to you she would have come to you. Just like she did. Give her a break." Alexis didn't know the whole story but she knew Beckett. Never in a million years would she abandon a child to a foster home.

"I don't have a dad." Jordon looked at the older girl. "I am not real."

Alexis threw some butter in a hot pan and began ladling pancake batter into the pan. "I'm sorry? Not real?"

"I'm sick 'getimate. You know a bastard. That's what Mrs. Turner said." Jordon confided to Alexis.

"That is illegitinmate. You are real. Mrs. Turner is stupid." Alexis turned to sad child. "Bastard is what people used to call children who weren't born to married parents. My dad's parents weren't married."

"I know. He told me." Jordon whispered. "But I think it made him angry."

"You have a mom and, I'll tell you what, I'll share my dad with you. He's a full time job and I could use the help." Alexis smiled and winked at Jordon. "If he was angry, it wasn't at you."

"Ok." She wasn't quite sure what Alexis was talking about, but the girl seemed to be sure of whatever it was.

Alexis expertly flipped a pancake on to a plate. She placed on the breakfast counter with a fork. "Eat up. You want syrup or honey?"


	6. Dads, Doctors and Demands

Beckett and Castle listened to their daughters from the staircase. They hadn't intended to eavesdrop but it was an opportunity to hear what was really bothering the youngest Beckett without having to drag it out of her syllable by syllable. Beckett closed her eyes and her fist clinched. Castle's suppressed his anger at Jordon's foster mother that woman should never have been responsible for children. He would make sure she would never be again.

A few moments later, Beckett's eyes opened and she turned miserable eyes to Castle. "I have to sit her down and talk to her before I take her to my Dad's." She smiled at Castle. "And I need to go shopping. She only had the little backpack. She needs more clothes."

"Catch your breath. Talk to her and go from there." Castle guided her down to the stairs to where Alexis and Jordon were eating breakfast. "Morning, ladies." Castle called out to the girls. He gave Alexis a hug and kissed her head. "Missed you." Releasing his daughter he turned to Jordon. "Morning, cherub! How did you sleep?"

Beckett sat in the chair next to her daughter and admired the ease of which Castle interacted with Jordon, but she thought, he was not a shy, retiring man. He liked people and people liked him, especially female people. "Morning, Jordon." Beckett wondered how Jordon would react if she tried to give her a kiss and a hug.

Jordon eyed her mother and Alexis' dad with something just short of contempt. She wondered what their angle was. One of her teenage foster brothers had told her that everyone had an angle and no one was ever nice to be nice. She didn't think he was right until he stole her mom's necklace and ran away. "What are you going to do with me today?" Jordon demanded of her mother. "We staying here or we going somewhere else?"

Beckett translated her daughter's words to mean 'where are you going to dump me now?' She didn't quite know how to deal with such a wounded soul. Jordon was suspicious of anyone. "Well, I thought first we would go clothes shopping for school and then I want to take you to visit a friend of mine. Her name is Lanie. She's the medical examiner where I work. That's a doctor for dead people." Beckett cringed at her own words. She never had this much difficulty talking to anyone in her life with the possible exception of Castle.

"I got clothes. I don't need no more." The little girl declared. "Other kids in foster homes steal your things. Sometimes the foster parents take your things to give to their real kids. I keep everything in a backpack so I always have it. You have it on you and no one can steal it." Jordon's little lip curled. "My bag is full. I don't need no stuff from you."

Beckett's heart broke on hearing her daughter describe her life in a few choice words. She blamed herself. If she hadn't been so concerned with how this child would affect her life, she would have thought about her responsibility towards this child. She should have shouldered her own responsibility rather than pushing it off on to someone else.

Castle gave Kate a moment to pull herself together. "So, where is your bag right now?" He was curious. The bag was nowhere to be seen.

"I hid it." Jordon stated. Her brows furrowed at the sight of Castle's arm still hanging over Alexis' shoulders and Alexis having her arm around her dad's waist. She hardly remembered her adoptive parents and this mother not at all. Alexis seemed to like her dad giving her a kiss and a hug. Jordon felt a little tug of jealousy. She wanted someone to want to hug her too. Not like when her first foster father hugged her so hard that it hurt. Since then she learned to try to keep a distance between her and adults.

Beckett touched Jordon's hand bringing her back to the conversation at hand. "Well, that is something you don't have to worry about. You are never going back to foster care. From now on, you will live with me." Beckett declared.

Jordon's face was as scornful as any adult perp she had ever questioned. "You'll get tired of me and give me away again. They all do." Jordon's lips turned up in a frosty smile. "Or you'll die just like the cops on TV."

Beckett was flabbergasted. Her daughter was giving her the impression that she wished Beckett were dead. She owned this mistake and she had to fix it now. "What do you want, Jordon? What do you need for me to prove to you that I am going nowhere and you are stuck with me for the rest of my life? " Beckett was serious. No one had ever asked this child what she wanted. Everyone made decisions for her without really considering her needs.

Jordon shrugged. It didn't matter what she wanted and didn't believe that Beckett would keep her. No one ever had. First Beckett had given her away. Then her parents died. She had been in so many foster homes, she lost count. It was just a matter of time and she would be back into the system.

Castle could not contain himself a moment more. "Jordon. If something happens to your mother, you will have a home. You will live with me, Alexis and my mother." He looked hard at the girl, trying to get her to understand what he was about to say. "But, nothing will happen to your mother and I swear to you if she tries to give you away, I'll steal you." Castle reached over and picked up the small child, setting her on the kitchen counter. "Alexis is getting too big. I need another little girl." His fingers began dancing along her ribs and try as she might she couldn't stop laughing.

Alexis, secure in her father's love, laughed with Jordon. Castle had only been 23 when she had been born. He had been father, mother and sibling all rolled up into one for her. He always had time to play with her, to listen to her, to kiss her bruises and comfort her when the world outside turned cold. Her father, she knew, was not stingy with his love. He had a generous and open heart. Alexis knew her father was the man to heal this little girl of all her hurts. Alexis looked at Beckett and they shared a smile.

Two hours later, they were heading up to the Lanie's lab to officially introduce young Jordon to her mother's best female friend. Lanie had been out yesterday on a call when all of them had arrived talk to the Captain. She had called Lanie later and informed her of her changed status. No longer was she simply Beckett's best friend but Jordon's unofficial aunt. Lanie had been confused at the events but definitely wanted to meet her new niece as soon as possible.

Castle thought it strange as they rode up in the elevator to Lanie's lab that it was so still that he could almost hear his own breathing. Jordon had grasped his hand and her mother's the moment they stepped foot inside and then closed her eyes. Her fingers were bone white because of the grip she had on the hands that held hers. Beckett and Castle traded glances before Beckett moved closer to her daughter and stroked her hair.

"I am not scared!" Jordon tossed out as she stamped her foot and pulled away from Beckett's stroking hand but still gripped the other hand. "It's just too small in here and it smells."

Beckett sniffed the air. It smelled just like it always did – old and stale. "I think you're right. It is small and stinks." Beckett agreed with her. "Don't you agree, Castle?"

Castle saw the girl peeking through her long eyelashes and gave her hand a little squeeze in return. "Indubitably, Detective." Castle responded in a nasally English accent.

Jordon giggled and the doors opened to the morgue and Lanie lab. Exiting the elevator, Jordon released their hands. They had taken no more than a few steps when Lanie greeted then coming out of the morgue. She glanced at the child and quickly shut the door behind her.

Lanie looked at the child seeing at first glance what Beckett's boys were talking about. The little girl was Castle in a young, feminized version. She thought they had been exaggerating. Lanie frowned at the resemblance while wondering if her friend had forgotten to mention she had known Castle in a previous life.

Jordon scowled back. Lanie saw the scowl and laughed. That was pure Beckett. She realized that the little girl thought that she had been scowling then laughing at her. "I wasn't making faces at you, baby. I was just thinking of something else."

Jordon looked at her doubtfully. "My name isn't 'baby'. I am Jordon Rebecca Ferguson and I'll be nine soon."

"Well, I am Lanie Parish. I'll call you Jordon and you can call me Aunt Lanie." Lanie watched Jordon's mouth pursue and chin tilt. She'd seen that look before. On Castle. Whenever he was determined to prove some theory of his was right or whenever he felt he had been pushed too far.

Jordon looked at her newly acquired aunt. "My m … Beckett told me you got dead bodies? Can I see one? The kind where you already cut 'em open?" She asked.

Castle couldn't stand it. "Jordon. It is not 'got', it is 'have' and replace 'can' with 'may', please."

Jordon turned on him and glared. "No." Jordon said placing her hands on her tiny hips and stomping her foot.

Castle picked her up for the floor so she hung eye to eye with him. "Yes."

Beckett saw a foot start to swing and before she could warn Castle that little foot nailed him in his groin. He dropped like a sack of potatoes, but didn't let go of Jordon. Her feet were on the floor before he curled in on himself.

"Enough is enough, Jordon." Beckett was exasperated with her little daughter. "That was mean and thoughtless. You can't hurt people." She took the girl by the shoulder and turned her to face her. Beckett stopped and pulled her into a hug. Jordon was crying, silently but tears were streaming down her face.

"I didn't mean to. Honest, I didn't mean to." Jordon grabbed her mother by her cheeks. "Don't send me back. It was an accident."

Beckett pulled her closer. "I told you, poppet, you are going nowhere. You are my daughter and you are stuck with me." She pulled Jordon to where she could see her face. "Got it? Good. You need to apologize to Castle."

Jordon nodded her head and went over to where Castle was laying on the floor, breathing deep. "I'm sorry, Castle. I didn't mean to hurt you." She rubbed his whiskered jaw line then kissed his cheek.

Castle sat up gingerly and looked at his assailant. "It's ok. It was an accident." He cupped the back of her head and kissed her cheek. "When you are a little older we are going to have a talk of when you can do that and to whom." He wheezed at her, his body parts still throbbing in a very bad way.

Lanie and Beckett were struggling to breathe without laughing. They looked at each other and began laughing. "Need an ice pack, Castle? " Lanie offered between gasps. "It's a lucky thing that you already have kids. That could have put you out of action."

Castle regained his feet and hoped that everything would be in working condition by this evening. He had made plans for Beckett and himself and needed all parts to be ready for action. "I'll be fine. I'll have any stiff parts rubbed later." He wiggled his eyebrows at Beckett which set the women off again.

Jordon relaxed against his leg and wrapped a thin arm around his thigh. She didn't understand what was going on, but she still wanted to see a dead body. She waited for the women to calm down. "So, Aunt Lanie, can I …" she stopped and tilted her head up at Castle before looking back at Lanie. "May I see a dead body?"

Everyone looked at the child from wonder to mystification to dismay. "Jordon. A dead body is a human being. It is not something for children to see." Beckett said firmly. "It'll give you nightmares."

At the same time Lanie jumped in with "Why would you want to see an autopsied body?"

Castle simply breathed "That is sooo cool!" Both women turned evil looks on him. "What? She is curious and that's a good thing. After all, you do investigate dead people. She is your daughter."

Lanie looked at Castle, uncertainty written on her face. "And yours, too, I presume?"

Three faces looked at Lanie Parish. "I said that out loud, didn't I?"

Beckett and Castle nodded. "He's not my dad. He said so." Jordon looked totally disgusted at her new aunt. "I am a bastard." Jordon nodded, "So's he."

Lanie's mouth dropped open. She couldn't think of one thing to say to that announcement by an 8 year old. Beckett scolded Jordon. "That is not a nice word. We don't use it."

"But it just means that the parents weren't married. That's not bad. When something isn't bad it isn't stupid to use like Mrs. Turner used to say it to me. She meant it to be mean." Jordon offered to her mother by way of explanation. "Words are never bad. Just the people who use them wrong are stupid. Alexis told me."

Castle decided he needed to have a conversation with _his_ little girl, soon, today. He had to admit though that Alexis was correct in her estimation of words but Beckett's little girl was too young to understand connotations. "Jordon, please don't use that word again. When we get home you and I will have a conversation about words, meanings and connotations."

"Ok."Jordon said with a shrug of her shoulders. Jordon turned her beautiful smile on Lanie.

Lanie's got goose bumps. This child was going to be dangerous. Lanie knew that this child had to be related to Castle and Beckett both.

"Aunt Lanie, may I please see a body, you know, did surgery on?"

"Performed an autopsy." Lanie said automatically. Yep, she was related to both of them, had to be. All charm, when she chose to use it, wrapped in a 45 pounds of determination. God help them all.

Beckett sighed. She was not going to win this fight. "Lanie, show her one, please, then can you do that test we talked about?"

* * *

Dinner was a quiet affair. They were actually using the dining room table. Five people did not fit comfortably around a breakfast counter. Alexis was going over to her friend, Cynthia, for a study night. Martha had rehearsals down town and then was going to have an early breakfast. Both wanted to hear about Jordon's day before they left.

After the Jordon got her visit to the morgue, Lanie collect cheek swabs and blood samples from the three of them. Castle had arranged a special courier to take it over to a lab for testing. He thought that Lanie could have done it but was informed by Beckett, in a voice he did not particularly like, that using NYPD facilities for personal reasons was dishonest and illegal. He didn't see the problem. What's a little DNA between friends?

He did not like that it was going to take 7 to 10 days to get the results back. He knew he was not Jordon father, beyond any doubt, well almost. He and Beckett had discussed it. She knew he had been married when Jordon was conceived and believed that Castle would never have deliberately cheated on his wife, but he did remember giving a lecture at the college around that time and attending a party, but that is where his memory ended. He had given many lectures and attended many parties over the years.

Jordon had been told why they were doing this. She looked at him with those beautiful blue eyes and said "That's sooo cool!" She hugged him, smiling brightly. He realized that in less than 24 hours he had acquired another child that was not planned for, but was wanted nonetheless.

Beckett's dad was thrilled to have a granddaughter. He had heard Beckett talk about Castle for over three years plus her time as Ricks1amor on his fan website. She glared at her father when he told Castle about her adolescent fantasy love affair with him. She had told her mom and her mom had spilled the beans to her dad. She had been teased incessantly by her father until her mother's death. Castle also had found out that it was his books that she read over and over after her mother's death and her pregnancy with Jordon.

Beckett's dad had also asked his intentions towards his daughter and Jordon. Castle watched Kate show Jordon pictures of her grandmother. "They are both mine." He answered. Mr. Beckett and Castle shook hands and watched their girls.


	7. Fights of Love

Castle was sipping his coffee in his office. He had his laptop open and was attempting to do some work on his latest future best seller. Everyone else was sleeping the sleep of the dead, so to speak. It had been an exhausting few of days with extreme emotional highs and lows sweeping through everyone's life with the force of a tsunami named Jordon.

Alexis had been a happy, easy child. She was bottled sunshine and flowers. She rarely made demands, always helpful and shared her warm and loving nature with everyone and anyone who came in her sphere. He had always been a little afraid that one day her sweet and kind qualities would land her in a situation that could harm her. She was a trusting soul who could not fathom someone hurting her or anyone she knew. To her the deaths that he now investigated with Beckett could be pushed away and forgotten. If she didn't admit they were real, then it was just another story he was working on. In her mind, life was a good and kind place and she knew her place in the world

.Jordon was the antithesis of Alexis. Jordon was anxious, strong-willed, guarded, questioning and untrusting. She met life head on with fists raised, wise ass remarks on standby and ready to spit in everyone's eye. To her life was a dark and dangerous place and all that existed in it wanted nothing more than to take something from her. She seemed to believe every warm word would be followed by a slap and kindness would be followed by someone wanting something in return. Jordon wanted to be loved and cared for just as any child would but she had so much trauma in her life that she did not believe that she was loveable.

Castle put his coffee down and thought about last night. Beckett wanted to move back to her apartment and get settled with Jordon. Castle wanted Beckett to move into his loft and make a life with them. When he suggested that she needed help with Jordon and argument ensued to end all arguments they had ever had. She had accused him of thinking she was a bad mother and that he was father of the year. He tried to explain but she was having none of it. He pointed out that Jordon needed stability and security more than ever and that his home was perfect for children, she turned colors that he could not describe. She informed him that she was very capable of providing a stable and secure environment and of course his home was perfect for children as it was populated by Peter Pan and his followers. The end result was that he had spent the night in his office and Beckett had spent the night fuming in his bedroom.

Martha observed her miserable son from the doorway. She tried not to interfere with his life any more than any other parent did but it was time for her to step up to the plate and help him see what he had missed. She had heard the argument coming from the master bedroom last night but decided to let them hash it out. It was morning now and those two had to get their combined acts together before it hurt her granddaughters.

"So, when are Beckett and company leaving?" Martha asked casually entering his domain.

"Probably today." He answered morosely, staring into his coffee. "I am apparently Peter Pan and I am leading them astray along with you and Alexis."

Martha sat in a chair facing his desk and took a sip of her hot coffee. "Is Jordon my granddaughter?" She asked.

Richard's eyes leveled with hers. "I know this sounds a little like Clinton but I did not have sex with Beckett nine years ago. That I remember. I was married to Gina." He gave a gusty sigh and ran a hand through rumpled hair. "We are performing the DNA tests to rule out me just in case …"

"Nine years ago was when you also had an open relationship with Gina." Martha looked in her coffee. "You two had gotten married to help sell your books and provide a mother figure for Alexis. You discovered too late that Gina was not a good mother figure due to job hours and her liking of younger men in the multiple, much younger men. Something she had not mentioned before you got married. Did you mention this to Beckett?"

"Mother, I don't need my sins paraded in front of me." Castle scrubbed his face with his hands. "My making bad choices is something I have in common with my mother. Furthermore, I didn't have an open relationship with Gina. Gina had one with me because I didn't want to get a divorce three months after getting married. Again. "

"Kate and Jordon are bad choices?" She asked. "Do you think you may have gone to a party, became intoxicated and found a willing party to soothe your wounded ego and now that choice is coming back?" Martha pressed.

"It is highly doubtful that I am Jordon's biological father" He said firmly as he turned his chair to look at the spiral staircase picture behind him. "Beckett and Jordon are not bad choices. I love Kate more than the air that I breathe. Jordon is my daughter, biology notwithstanding. Though I am hoping the biology is there because then I would have something to say about one of them at least."

"That's good to know, Castle." Beckett stood in the door way of his study. He had discovered some things about Kate that he thought was kind of funny. She never wore shoes unless she had to and she had the prettiest feet he had ever seen. For her height, her feet were small, high arched and her toenails were painted a bright, shiny, almost metallic crimson. She admitted under duress that she had a standing appointment at some beauty shop every week for a manicure and pedicure.

Martha stood. "Good luck, Kiddo" She whispered to her son and walked out the door, patting Kate on the back as she closed the door.

"Well, Castle?" She walked around his desk, put her hands on the arms of his chair and pushed her face close to his. "Did you tell Martha that you demanded that I give up this ridiculous idea of moving out, that I let you take care of me and my daughter, and that I was a bad mother?"

Castle did the one thing he had wanted to do since the first time she had done that. Kissed her. Hard. Then pulled her onto his lap. "I love you. I'm sorry if I upset you. I don't want either of you to go." He looked at her, wanting to tell her all but knowing that she wasn't ready to hear everything. "You are not a bad mother. You are an amazing person. I was just being selfish. I wanted all of you here." He gave her a small smile. "I guess Jordon and I share something other than physical similarities. We both are afraid that you are not going to want us forever."

Kate had heard what he said before he had noticed her at the door and loved him all the more for it. She, also, knew that under Castle's brash, confident exterior laid his belief that he was basically unlovable and the only way to get people to stay with him was to throw money at them. The problem was she had always taken care of herself. He might have all the money in the world, but she needed to feel that she could support herself and her daughter. Living here with him would be heaven and hell, combined.

"Castle, I know you want to help. I need your support, emotional support, but I have always taken care of myself. I just can't turn everything over to you to do." She stroked his warm, bristly cheek. He closed his eyes, his long eyelashes making dark fans and leaned into her hand. "I don't need a Daddy Warbucks or a knight in shining armor to come to my rescue. What I need is the man I love standing beside me, helping me as I help him."

"Kate, I think I have more money than Daddy Warbucks. If I can't spend it on people I love and things they need then what is the point in having it. If we were married you would be entitled to half of everything I have anyway." Castle's eyes brightened. "You have a dollar? I'll let you buy this loft and then all of us would live with you."

"If I thought you were serious, I would pack up myself and Jordon and leave immediately." She said firmly. She kept her face serious though she wanted to laugh because she knew Castle would do it. Seeing the panicked expression on his face she decided to let him off the hook. "I know you aren't serious, so we have nothing to worry about."

Beckett tried to pull away from him and his arms tightened before letting go and she stood up. "I seem to keep making the same mistake."Castle gave a small laugh, then a sigh. "What can I do or say to make you want to stay with me?"

"Castle … Rick. I want to stay with you. I love you. But, we have to be absolutely sure that this is right for all of us. Not just you and me but for Jordon and Alexis, too." She kissed the corner of his mouth. "You don't hold on too tight, either. You have always let me go to others when all you wanted was to have me yourself." She slapped his shoulder. "That was stupid. You should have said something."

Castle grinned at her and stood, towering over her. "Hey, equal opportunity here. You could have said something, too. Maybe grabbed me and kissed then throw me down on your desk and had your evil, kinky way with me."

"Let's try it for awhile. At least while you are house hunting. Stay here. We can pack up your apartment and put it in storage." He saw her face and backtracked a bit. "Or bring them over here."

"I could always keep my things and my apartment and turn the study into a bedroom for Jordon, too." Beckett pointed out reasonably.

Castle huffed at her. "But then Jordon wouldn't be here and you wouldn't be sleeping with me." He sounded like a little boy being denied his favorite treat. "If that is what you want, we will do it."

"Of course. But…" Beckett paused and tapped her chin with her forefinger. "Then I would be denying myself a babysitter and a playmate for Jordon."

Castle tried to suppress feelings of elation. "Alexis would be a wonderful playmate for Jordon, though she is a little old for it, and I would be happy to babysit if you had to go out somewhere without me, of course."

Kate turned laughing eyes at him. "I was thinking more of your daughter being the babysitter and you being the playmate – for both Becketts."

Castle laughed and hugged her close. "So, you'll stay?"

"Only until I find the right apartment that I can afford on my salary." She said firmly.

"Of course and I will help you find the perfect place for you to live." Castle said with assurance, flashing a dazzling smile.

"By the way, Castle, Daddy Warbucks was like a billionaire a couple of times over." Kate said laughing.

"I know, Kate." Castle responded softy. "You have never asked me about my mother's family. Or how much I pull in on a book or how I invest." He kissed her cheek and started to leave the room. "And I love that about you, but you'd think that a detective of your caliber would have done some investigation about a man she loves."

"Wait a minute." Kate pulled on his arm to stop him from leaving. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Oh, so much. You could write a book." He took a step and paused. "It would frighten you if you knew my net worth just as much as the thought of living with me does."

Jordon watched her mother and Castle while they talked on the sofa. She was lying on the floor of the second story observing them through the railing. Beckett wanted to go to look at other apartments and Castle wanted her to wait. He said he would ask around and there might even be a small apartment in his building. Beckett said that it would probably cost her entire salary and then some.

Alexis watched Jordon for a moment. Moving forward, she dropped to the floor beside the youngster. "What did you hear? This is where I used to listen to Dad and Gina until he put in the intercom." Alexis stopped. Jordon didn't need to know how to use the intercom. Last time she used it, she heard more than she wanted to from her Dad's room.

"Beckett wants to move and Castle doesn't want us to go." Jordon whispered.

"Why do you call them Beckett and Castle?" Alexis asked curious.

"Castle calls my mom Beckett and no one has told me what to call her. I don't know if she wants me to call her 'mom' because if she'd wanted to be my mom she would have kept me."Jordon turned to Alexis as if waiting for agreement.

"Ok. But why Castle?" Alexis asked.

"That's what Beckett calls him. He never told me what to call him either." Jordon looked at Alexis as if she had lost her mind.

"Oh." Alexis thought it made sense in an odd sort of way.

"Do you think he's my dad?" Jordon inquired of Alexis.

"Do you want him to be?" Alexis asked. "You know he can be your dad even if he didn't …." Alexis drifted off not quite sure how to finish it.

"Didn't bang my mom?" Jordon finished for Alexis. "I don't know if want him to be my dad. He's nice but Beckett really wants to move out. I think this place and Castle scares her."

Alexis didn't say anything in return because she agreed with the youngster in her assessment.

Castle pulled Kate close, snuggling her. "The girls are watching us and listening to this discussion." He told her as he casually brushed a kiss across her ear.

Beckett froze in place. She desperately tried to remember what she had said. They had only talked about moving. She really should talk to Jordon about the move. Too many changes could upset the fragile peace they had developed over the last few days.

Castle's phone rang to the tune of the funeral march. "It's Lanie." Castle announced as he picked up his phone. Castle spoke to Lanie for a few minutes before handing the phone to Beckett.

"Beckett." Kate's stomach was in knots.

"I have the preliminary results for you on your DNA test."


	8. Results in Many Forms

**I want to thank you all for all your kind reviews. To those who have emailed me regarding Jordon's behavior – trust me – this is an accurate portrayal of a seven year old current foster child of my foster sister's whose personality and attitude I have annexed for this story. BTW, I have toned down the vibrantly descriptive language that actually comes from that child's mouth. Though I think, Shazam (as I call her) is completely amazing. **

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* * *

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Beckett froze at her friend's words. "I thought it would take longer. It has only been four days,"

"These are first results. There were a couple of things we were able to rule out, but we need to talk so I can explain. The final results will take longer." Lanie laughed. "Come on, Kate, it's not all bad. I am free in about an hour. Can you and your boy toy come to the morgue then?"

"Hold on, Lanie." Beckett dropped the phone to her chest. "Lanie wants us to meet her down town in about an hour." At Castle nod of agreement, she told Lanie they would be there.

Beckett sat for a moment, thinking about the possible results. "What's my ring tone?" She asked Castle.

Castle squirmed in his seat. "We have to get going." He made a grab for his phone which Beckett just realized she was still holding. She dashed away from him and into the kitchen. A moment later the tune 'Pretty Woman' came out of his phone with a picture of her standing in front of the murder board deep in thought.

Beckett looked at him. "I think of you every time I hear it." Castle said when the tone filtered out. "So what's my ringtone?"

"I don't do things like that." Beckett responded. "I use NYPD issued phone. It would a gross misuse of equipment."

"Ok." He was a little disappointed. "I'll be ready in a minute. I need to shave."

As he trudged up the stairs, Beckett called his name. "Rick, it would be 'Big, Bad, Handsome Man' by Imelda May. If I used ringtones."

Rick Castle grinned. He could live with that.

* * *

Leaving Jordon with Alexis and Martha was more difficult than any of them had thought. Jordon didn't want to be left. She wanted to go. Beckett had to admit she tried to be logical when she listed her reasons for going with Castle and Beckett. Then she tried to sweet talk them which was a very nice change. Failing that, she had a fit. A throw yourself on the floor, kick and scream bloody murder "kill me now" fit.

Beckett stared at her daughter, feeling totally out of her element. She looked at Castle. He was gathering up his cell phone and calling his driver, ignoring Jordon totally. He kissed his mother and daughter and thanked them for watching Jordon. They both nodded and continued fixing breakfast for themselves and Jordon. Alexis did give Jordon a disgusted look. She pulled out earplugs from a drawer and jammed them in her ears. Castle pushed Beckett on to the sofa and slipped on her shoes. He pulled the anxious mother up and out the door.

Beckett found out that the apartment was soundproof. Once the door was shut she could no longer hear her daughter wails. She pulled away from Castle. "We can't just leave her like that!" She squeaked.

"Yes, we can." He said and tried to move her down the hallway. She was not budging. "Alexis threw off the scale temper tantrums when she was about 2." He grinned at her. "And Meredith still does. Trust me; you don't feed into the tantrums. Mother is well versed in dealing with tantrums. She had a child that threw them frequently."

Beckett stared at him. She was the only child of parents who were only children. Her family had been quiet and serene. Back in that apartment was pandemonium in the form of a nine year old. She couldn't deal with that. She would try his way but, that was just too much. "Jordon and I are going to have a long talk regarding acceptable behavior as soon we get home." Beckett told Castle and grinned. _'Castle's loft was becoming home.'_ She saw him grinning at her choice of words and she lost hers. _'Rat Bastard.' _She thought and marched down the hallway.

Lanie was waiting for them in her office. Castle handed her a cup of tea and a bear claw. "You remembered!" Lanie grinned at Castle and took his offering.

Beckett was squirming in her seat. She wanted the results to be Castle. In a way. It would make all other decisions easier. But, she knew that he would feel guilty if he was Jordon's father because in his mind he would feel he had abandoned his daughter and his daughter's mother. She didn't want him to feel guilty. She pulled herself together and looked at Lanie and wanted to squirm again. Both of them were watching her.

"Well?" Beckett prompted Lanie. Her patience was about gone.

Lanie put her bear claw down. "Sweetie, I have the preliminary results." She glanced at Castle. "You are related."

Castle dropped into his chair like a deflated balloon. "So, I'm Jordon's father."

Beckett grabbed his hand and squeezed. "Kind of a good thing, right?" She asked, wondering what he was thinking.

"Hold it people. I said he was related not that he was the father." She looked into the stunned face of her friends. "A paternity test would show about half of her DNA coming from each parent. Castle, you share only enough markers to make it a more distant relationship. She's is your niece."

Beckett swallowed, her eyes became unfocused and she tried to pull on a vague memory of almost 10 years ago. Of the man in the bed. Castle's brother. One that he did not know he had. What must Rick be feeling right at this moment? She looked towards him, not knowing what to expect. He looked like Castle except there was absolutely no emotions on his face whatsoever which told her how very shocked he was because Castle was the most animated of any person she had ever met..

Castle was thunderstruck. He knew he was not Jordon's biological father. That was no surprise and it didn't matter. The bolt from the blue was that he had a brother. He had always known that chance was there but it had never been something he lost sleep over. This test wasn't abstract thought but actual fact that someone besides his mother was biologically related to him. He suddenly realized that he liked the idea of having a brother. He needed to talk to his mother. She had always told him she didn't know who his father was and he took her words at face value. Maybe the value of that face was changing. Castle stopped cold in his thoughts. Jordon. If he found his brother he and Beckett might lose Jordon.

"Castle." Beckett called for the third time. She took his chin in hand and moved his head to face her. "You in there?"

Castle looked at the woman he adored and decided in that second. He had Beckett and Jordon plus Alexis and a mother he needed to have a serious talk with. He really didn't need a brother. After all, he had his poker buddies plus Esposito and Ryan. He gave her his patented charming smile. "Yeah. I'm here. Just a little shook." But what happened if Kate wanted to seek out his mysterious brother and introduce Jordon to him?

Lanie could feel that Castle was more than a little shook. "What are you thinking, Castle?" She decided to take pity on him. "We could run your DNA through the data base and see if anyone pops as being close."

Castle took Kate's hand. "No, that's not necessary. I'm good. Really."

Kate and Castle thanked Lanie for her help and left the precinct. "I'm not quite ready to go back and face the wunderkind. How about Remy's for lunch?" Castle asked.

"Sounds good to me. I'm starved." Beckett wrapped her arm through Castle's."You ok, about everything?"

Castle rubbed her hand, his brows furrowed. "Kate, we need to discuss our next move."

Beckett's heart began triple timing. "What about?" Had he changed his mind about her and Jordon now that he knew he wasn't her father?

"This isn't how I planned to tell you or…" Castle paused taking a deep breath and looked around the steps of the precinct. "I should say ask you, but will you marry me?"

Beckett couldn't breathe. She was staggered. Of all the things she was expecting, this one wasn't even on the charts. "Why?" Castle hated marriage. He slammed it every time the subject came up in any way he could. After two failed marriages to women that were simply after his money and reputation, he had no respect for the institution. She knew this as fact. If he wanted to marry her, she knew better than her own name that something was burning in that wicked mind of his.

Rick Castle knew when he had stepped in something smelly and this time he had rolled in it. He realized he shouldn't have blurted it out but eased Kate into it. He loved her but that wasn't the only reason he wanted to marry her. Jordon was part of it. There was no rational explanation Kate would buy as to why he wanted to marry her. How could he tell her he was afraid if he didn't she would leave him to find Jordon's natural father? He didn't understand himself these days. It had gone from friends (a friend that he loved granted) to lovers virtually overnight. He had told his mother that Kate and Jordon were not bad choices. He wanted them to be in his family. Even his ex-wives were still family.

"I could tell you because I love you. I could tell you I want to be Jordon's father." Castle stopped for a minute. "By the way she is going to ask if I am and I would like to tell her I am, Ok?" Castle started listing reasons why they should get married. By the time he finished they were at Remy's.

Beckett's head was swimming. She held up one finger. "Let me see if I have this. First, you want to lie to Jordon about her father because you want to be that father." She held up her second finger. "You want to marry me because I am your raison d'être. You not only don't want to live without me, but I am your reason for existence? Don't blame me for that, Castle." She had to admit that had sounded really good. She held up a third finger. "You want to adopt Jordon, but you have to marry me to do it." She sighed and put her head in her hands. "Why did you wait until I told you about Jordon before you said you loved me and asked me to marry you?"

Castle understood that he had really screwed the pooch on this one. He had 26 best sellers. He was a man who formulated stories and sold them for big profit. He was a wordsmith. He had a gold tongue. He had also totally screwed up this proposal.

"No. I mean… yes to all those things but not how you put it." Castle was thinking fast. Tell her the truth, complete and unvarnished.

Beckett echoed his thoughts. "Castle, tell me the truth. What is going on?" She nailed him with her eyes. "Cause right at this moment I am not feeling the love. I would like nothing better than to tell you where to put your proposal and move out." She leaned back and crossed her arms. "Now, start talking."


	9. Marriage Talk

Richard Castle was by and large considered a man to be reckoned with; a sorcerer of words, his spin would have all agreeing with him. He was persuasive, good looking and had the unique ability to convince people to do things his way while making them think it was all their idea – until later, if things went wrong. He had an agent, publisher, two ex-wives and assort ex girlfriends to prove it, not to mention a criminal record with no convictions, charges all dropped. Then there was Kate Beckett.

Kate had a unique ability herself. She possessed the ability to see beyond the face of an individual and into the mind. She was a human lie detector even when the person speaking to her was not exactly lying, just not letting go of the whole truth - lying by omission. She knew usually. The better she knew someone the easier to spot the "tells" in their behavior. The one person she knew better than herself was one Richard Edgar Castle. He was not telling her the real 'why' of why he wanted to marry her. His "tells" were anxiety, fidgeting, lack of ability to express himself in a cogent way, jumping from subject to subject and looking everywhere but at the person he was speaking to, namely her in this case. Not everyone would catch it because some of it was extremely subtle but for someone who for the last three years made Castle watching a full time hobby, it was as obvious as his blue eyes.

Castle had experience in asking women to marry him, for pity sake. For that matter he was experienced with women in general and in some ways she Beckett was very thankful for his vast array of experience there. But, when a man of Castle's caliber began stammering a variety of reasons as to why they should get married when he had not mentioned it or even alluded to it previously, Kate's senses picked up the invisible lies. Less than two weeks ago he was making derogatory remarks regarding marriage and his 'blood sucking ex-wives' to quote him. She knew there was more to it than love, a love that she wasn't sure she fully trusted yet anyway. It had happened too fast. She admitted to herself that she had loved him for well over a year and they had a very good 'friend' relationship, but they need time to grow into a 'couple' relationship. Love could only help so much.

Kate Beckett stared at Richard Castle while he was swimming in the muck he had created. "Well, Castle? You hate marriage. You have said that how many times?" She sipped her chocolate milkshake. "Just a few weeks ago, you told me that the model you were dating could be the future Mrs. Ex-wife." She cocked an eyebrow at him and waited. Good thing about Castle, if he was nervous, you could wait him out.

Castle wasn't quite sure how to defend himself. Everything she had said was true. He held up his hand to her, acknowledging that he had heard the question but needed a moment to compose his thoughts. Ok. The truth. Her style of truth not his own. "I love you. First and foremost, I love you. You believe that, right?" He waited for her to nod before continuing. "You asked why did I want to marry you now and the answer is very, very simple. I am afraid I am going to lose you and her if you find Jordon's father." He held up his hand and she opened her mouth, her eyes wide. "I was going to ask you to marry me eventually. After you moved in and became comfortable with whom I am, really. Not just Richard Castle the Author or Castle, your sometimes partner and friend, but who my family is or at least my maternal side. You know that my mother has never told me who my father was and I told myself I didn't care until a Lanie said that my brother was the father of Jordon."

Castle stopped his narration and took Beckett's hand. His blue eyes beseeching her to understand what he was going to say next. "I know you. I know that now that you have a direction to search, you are going to find Jordon's natural father and tell him. This will stir up memories and issues that go way beyond Jordon and you. " He took a deep breath before continuing. "This will affect my mother and me. Plus think of the fact that he may not want Jordon and Jordon will have to go through the pain of being rejected by someone that should love her beyond all reason."

Beckett had listened with both mind and heart to all that Castle said. She knew there was more but he had delivered the salient facts of his surprising proposal. In fact, she understood his fears and qualms but that didn't change the fact that the primary reason she felt he wanted to marry was for Jordon and not herself.

"Castle, would you have asked me to marry you if there was no Jordon?" She looked him in the eye, demanding the truth. "I mean until less than a week ago, you and I were friends, just friends and coworkers. We might have both had a 'secret love' but there was nothing tangible, nothing to lead me believe there was more between us. Now, you want to fly off to Las Vegas and get married by an Elvis preacher in the Chapel of Nevermore, Nevermore."

"Yes, eventually. Elvis, Kate?"Castle couldn't help it. He began laughing. Seconds later he heard female accompaniment. They settled and looked at each other, hilarity broke out again. The strain of the last few days had been broken. "Never would I say let's get married by an Elvis impersonator. Though Las Vegas is a good idea." He grinned at her, loving the shared moment. "Our 'secret love' was tangible enough for everyone at the precinct to see. They have all been waiting for this for well over two years. In fact, I think everyone that knows us has been waiting for it."

"No way, Castle." She insisted, but had a sinking feeling that she had not covered her emotions as well as she thought.

"Let me line up the evidence for you, Detective." Castle smiled at her pout. "Let me count the ways I love you. The coffee I bring you several times a day. The dinners I deliver to you, of many assortments may I add? The way I let you yell at me when you are frustrated beyond belief over a case, the way I let you beat me up in the gym and out shoot me at the firing range. The fact I have dedicated not one but two books to you. And in one of those books, page 105. Shall I go on?" Kate's face turned a rosy hue. Castle continued. "Now the ways you love me? The little looks and touches, you allowing me to stay by your side long after you know I have enough material last me the rest of my life, the way you make sure to call me any time there is a case, the way you have allowed Alexis into your life, and the fact that when I am out of town, you always call me several times on some pretense, except for that summer in the Hamptons' which we still have to talk about. And the way you stayed in the bathroom for an hour with page105."

Beckett shook her head. _"Damn," _Beckett eyes widened in shock, _"but the man is right." _It was all there. The evidence had accumulated while she was busy denying the existence of their feelings. Her smile fell from her face. Her feelings that he wanted to marry her now to keep Jordon from a father she didn't know and his existence secret from a family that he didn't know still weighed into the decision of whether or not they should get married. Secrets had a way of coming out in the worst ways. She had always wondered if Martha really didn't know who the father of her son was or if she was protecting him from something. Beckett knew Martha might be flighty, capricious, and shortsighted, but she loved her son with all that she was.

"Well, are you going to marry me?" Castle asked, taking her hand again, appearing to be patient but internally was jumping down, hoping for a positive response.

"I want you to know that I love you."Beckett began. She saw his face stiffen and felt the same in his hand. "I want nothing more to marry you but I think we should wait for now. Our feelings have simmered for years. We did nothing with them. Now they are bonfire, burning bright. What started this blaze is Jordon." She had hoped if she used metaphors maybe the writer in him would help the man to understand that she wasn't refusing him, just pushing it on the backburner until she was sure that it was her he wanted more than keeping a secret or being a father again. "I need to know, to feel that the reason you asked me to marry you was because of me not because of outside factors."

Castle understood. He didn't like it, but he understood. "How can I prove it to you? Jordon exists. Her sperm donor exists." He pulled his hands away from Beckett. "Kate, I can't prove anything to you. You have to believe me. All those other factors exist. They cannot be denied and they are part of the reasons I want to marry you but, the main and unassailable reason I want to marry you is that you are as necessary to me for my life as the air I breath, the food I eat and world that exists around me."

Kate's eyes glowed with unshed tears. Had he said all this in the beginning they would be selecting an engagement ring now, but the seed had been planted. She had to know without a doubt that she was the reason he wanted to marry her. "Rick…" She trailed off not sure what more to say.

"We'll put this discussion on hold right now." Castle sighed. "What are you going to tell Jordon about her father? She is your daughter. She is going to want to find him." He said dryly. "I don't want her to be hurt because her father may be a lot like her grandfather."

Beckett had a feeling that there was something going on that she didn't understand, something about Castle's life. "What is it? Why shouldn't I try to find the man that is Jordon's natural father?" She asked, hoping that he would answer.

Castle looked around the Remy's. They were sitting in a back booth and there were only a few other tables occupied. He lowered his voice. "I honestly didn't know I had a sibling. I never really thought about, if I did, it was in the abstract. I saw my father one time on the night he died." Castle moved to her side of the table. They sat knee to knee. He laid his hands on her thighs and leaned forward. "This cannot go any further than you and I. My mother doesn't even know that I remember if she remembers what happened at all. We have never spoken about that night."


	10. Crime and Punishment

"My mother," Castle stopped and looked down for a moment, "Killed my father. To protect me."

Beckett's heart stopped for a moment then raced to catch up with her mind which had already circled the track a few times. She cupped his cheeks in both hands and looked deeply into his guileless blue eyes; her thumbs tracing over the corners of his lips. She felt a small smile crack his handsome face and his blue eyes glittering up at her like a child on Christmas morning. And she knew.

She slammed her hands against his shoulders causing him to roll back in his chair. "You rotten egg sucking son of …." No, she would not insult Martha. Martha had enough to deal with in he son. She stood, ready lambaste him into stew. "I … You …" She could feel the flames of her fury mounting in her chest and face.

Ooops. "Kate, come on. I'm sorry. Really. I was just trying to show you that digging into the past is really a bad idea. You don't know what you will find. You don't know the kind of man Jordon's father is or what kind of family he comes from. He might try to take her from us … you." He had to make her understand. He had dug into her past and now regretted it. He knew that the past could bring incredible pain. Castle was positive that if she began digging she would discover why Richard Alexander Rodgers became Richard Edgar Castle she would discard him like last night's trash. "Tell you what I'm going to do. I'll put a P.I. on it. I'll have this guy investigated quietly. Then you can decide whether to inform him."

Beckett's eyes were cat slits, narrowed and mean. She watched him like a cat that had a mouse in her sights. "You are absolutely right, Castle, about his family. I mean look at his brother!" She slammed her fists against his shoulders again. "How could you do that to me? You are a cruel, cruel man."

Castle jumped to his feet and grabbed her shoulders. This situation was going south faster than retirees heading to Florida in the winter. He opened his mouth to explain again, apologize again and better when a small voice to his left interrupted him. Beckett's and Castle's heads swiveled towards the voice. A small, bald man in a suit was standing a few feet from them. "Excuse me, sir and ma'am. I am David Bertram, the manager. You must lower your voices. I cannot have you disrupting the other guests. Ma'am, you must cease striking him I will be forced to call the police and have you thrown out." Mr. Bertram spine straightened as he looked at the two unruly patrons.

Both Beckett and Castle towered over the manager by several inches. David Bertram took a step back at the looks on his customers' faces. Castle had been thrown out of schools, bars, restaurants, hotels, motels, almost anywhere one could be thrown out of, but Beckett was a NYPD detective. He knew without asking that she had done the throwing and had never even been asked to leave. They probably begged her to stay.

Beckett opened her mouth to identify herself and show her badge, but Castle stepped in front of her effectively blocking her view of the manager. "I am sorry, Mr. Bertram. We were a little noisy. Let me make it up to everyone." He opened his wallet and removed two bills, handing them to the manager. "This should pay for everyone's meals. We will be out of your hair, I mean, we will leave now. Come on, Dear." He pulled Beckett out the door and down the street into an alley before she had time to think of all the ways she was going to hurt him.

Beckett leaned against the dirty brick wall of the alley with her arms crossed and looked at Castle. She knew she should be furious with him over soooo many things he'd done today. The least of which was calling her 'dear' and the most was being his little imaginary story about his mother murdering his father and let us not forget the multiple reasons why it was logical to marry him. But, damn, that was Castle. Life would never be boring with him that is if she didn't kill him first. Because she was pretty sure she could get away with justifiable homicide or they could just call it 'suicide by cop.' As much as he had pissed her off today he did have some very good points in his convoluted way of explaining things. She also had a feeling everything he had said about his parents were not lies, as well as his remark about digging into the past was not just her past he was talking about. Putting all that aside for now, they had to make a decision regarding Jordon. But a lesson had to be taught to this overgrown schoolboy.

Castle faced Beckett with his arms crossed and waited for her to say something. He could apologize again but he had to wait because beyond a shadow of a doubt he knew that she was infuriated with him and anything he said would make it worse. He admitted to himself that she had the right to be angry, but there were things she really should know about his family, his mother and him that only a few select people knew and he really hated telling anyone. But Beckett was not just anyone. He cherished and respected her beyond all reason. Soon they had to have a talk regarding his past, but for now Jordon's future was at stake. That had to come before anything else.

Beckett decided his penalty and sprang into action. She grabbed his head and kissed him hard, forcing his lips open with her tongue, not that he was fighting her. Moments past, his hands began to meander over back and buttocks; hers were making forays into his trousers. He was ready to shove her against the wall and have their way with each other when she pulled away from him, leaving him hot, hard and hungry. Feeling cool air, he looked down and discovered he was also exposed. Beckett resumed her position against the wall, breathing a little heavier but grinning. Castle stepped forward intent on continuing what she had started. She stopped him with a hand against his chest.

"How does it feel to be teased?" She gestured towards his open pants. "Better put that away before some cop arrests you for indecent exposure." She snapped her fingers and then pointed at him. "But that's nothing new, is it, Castle?"

Castle was man enough to admit she had the right to some revenge, but come on, in an alley? When he said that to her she grinned a grin he was really beginning to hate and said "Remys'?" by way of reminding him that his behavior had just gotten them thrown out of their favorite hamburger joint. _'Apparently,'_ Castle thought disgustedly, _'she was taking no responsibility for any of it.'_

"Every time you lie to me, mislead me, or in any way give the wrong impression about anything, I am going to punish you." She winked at him and grinned. "And you will wish I spanked you."

Castle considered her words while he tucked himself away. This could be interesting. He would have to try misleading her later but for now they had bigger fish to fry. "Ok." He really tried to look genuinely contrite, but knew he had missed the mark when she looked at him sadly and shook her head. "What are we going to tell Jordon?" Castle asked.

The sudden change in Castle threw her for a moment. From a bad schoolboy with overactive hormones to a concerned father in a matter of seconds. She thought she should be used to it by now thinking about Alexis. "You're the story teller. You tell me how to not tell her the truth and not lie to her either." Castle frowned and tapped his chin. She could see his mind working. He always had a particular look to him whenever he was working on a theory or a complicated story line. His eyes scanned nothing right to left and back again, like he was reading an invisible book. Occasionally he would cock his head like he was listening to some mysterious voice and then he would smile.

"We tell her the truth, Kate. Only we don't tell her all the truth." He smiled at her and held up his hand. "Let me finish. How does this sound? We tell her she is stuck with me as a relative and that she can now call me 'daddy' because that's what girls call the man their mother loves and marries." He stepped forward, holding out his arms. "Because you do love me and you are going to marry me, right?" He leaned forward and trailed kisses over her cheeks, lips and neck. "I adore you."

Beckett returned his kisses with some of her own. "Great. Yes. Yes." Whatever he said, Ok.

Castle couldn't remember what she was agreeing to because her hands began wandering again. Over his broad back and down over his buttocks. He walked her backwards to the alley wall as he deepened the kiss. His hands found the buttons of her blouse and he felt the lace of her bra when he heard laughter and a voice behind him. Kate stiffened in his arms. She knew that voice. "Oh, God." They both groaned in unison as Castle turned, finding Lanie and Esposito a few feet from them.

"With all your money, bro, and you couldn't get a room?" Esposito laughed. One of his arms about Lanie's waist, holding her to his side and the other was rubbing her other arm. That was new. Aggravation fought with surprise. Lanie was holding on to Esposito because she was laughing so hard she had tears running down her cheeks and couldn't stand by herself, but the casual way they were holding on to each other told Castle what he wanted to know.

Beckett's head dropped onto Castle's chest. Castle, ever the gentleman, moved to cover her chest with his back while she pulled herself together. Lanie's eyes widened and she blushed to almost purple before laughing even harder than before. Esposito couldn't seem to make up his mind whether to laugh or scowl. "Tuck it in, man. Ladies present. I could arrest you for indecent exposure." He looked at his boss with an appreciative eye before saying firmly, "Both of you."

Castle flushed, tucked and zipped – again. Beckett's hands must have been busy in the front, too.

They went back to Remy's with Lanie and Esposito. Castle quickly assured the manager that they would behave themselves and even brought the police to ensure they did. Castle made Esposito show Mr. Bertram his badge. Esposito did as he was asked but intended to have Castle explain it all later. Beckett was still embarrassed but Castle was never one to cry over past deeds. He had no doubt that this was not going to be forgotten by anyone any time soon and Ryan would be told just as soon as he and Beckett left the table.

Lanie, Esposito, Beckett and Castle had lunch while discussing Jordon. Until Castle announced that Beckett had agreed to marry him. He remembered now that the blood had returned to the correct head. Beckett looked at him stunned and then remembered the 'conversation.' "It is going to be a long engagement, Lanie." She told her best female friend when asked when the wedding was to be. A moment later, Lanie decided that Beckett needed to go to the ladies room to freshen up before lunch came.

Esposito watched Lanie and his boss walk away then turned evil eyes on his favorite writer. "So, marriage, huh. That was fast." Esposito raised an eyebrow at Castle. "Is Beckett's kid the reason you're willing to tie the knot for a third time?"

Castle felt his temper rise. He liked Esposito but the man had a way of pushing Castle's buttons. He could make Castle go from calm to deadly furious in .02 seconds. He pushed his anger back down. He was getting sick of that question. "I asked her to marry me because I cannot imagine my life without Beckett in it. Jordon is like a wonderful dessert to go with the main dish."

"And Beckett agreed just like that?" Esposito queried.

"How long have you known Katherine Beckett? Must have just met her to think that." Castle grinned to himself. "In case you are unaware of it, your boss is 120 pounds of stubbornness, aggravation, defiance, and determination wrapped in a casing of silky skin and breathtaking beauty."

Esposito smiled cheerfully at the man he admired. Yep, Jordon was just icing on the cake.

"So, you and Lanie?" Castle asked turning it back on Esposito. "Niiiice!"

The men tapped fingers and agreed that life was good.

"Honey, I hope you know what you are doing." Lanie said to Kate while Kate tried to repair the damage her little alley event had wrought.

"To which 'doing' are you talking about? My hair which is a rat's nest? My blouse where I have three missing buttons? Jordon? Castle? Marriage? Which, Lanie?" She knew she was being a tiny bit testy, but her life was spiraling out of her control and she freely admitted she was a control freak.

Lanie pushed Beckett down on a chair and started on Kate's hair. She felt for her friend. She knew how much Kate Beckett valued control. She was the type of woman that every 'T' had to be crossed, every question answered, every why known. A female Sgt Joe Friday, 'Just the facts, ma'am' of Dragnet fame. And Castle confused her. Though Lanie bet, a civilian Kate Beckett, pre murder of her mother, would have given Castle a run for his money, all of it.

"You going to marry him?" Lanie smiled as Beckett blushed." Does he have a license for that concealed weapon of his or were you just frisking him to see if it was loaded? Girl, with that equipment I might just borrow him for awhile." Lanie waved her hand in front of her face as if she was hot. "Gimme some more ice water."

Beckett looked her with a sideway smile. "You sure Esposito would like you checking the load of Castle's weapon? You and he looked pretty chummy there."

"You don't know anything. You were too busy hiding your face in your man's chest, turning red and mumbling "Oh, God" and I know Castle didn't make you call out for him this time." Lanie shot back.

The ladies looked at each other and began laughing. Life was good.

It was after three when the couples departed. Beckett was calmer about her decisions now than previously. They had eaten, talked, shared experiences, and explained the careful watching of the Mr. David Bertram and decided Jordon's future.

Now it was time to face Jordon and all of her many questions.


	11. Jordon's Truth

Jordon was playing a video game with Alexis when Castle and Beckett strolled through the door. Jordon looked at the adults for a micro second before her attention returned to the game, ignoring the newcomers with the ease of long practice. Her little nose tilted a touch and her eyes narrowed before entering the cyber world again. Her entire body language screamed 'I am pissed at you. I don't want to talk to you."

Martha waved them into Richard's office. Castle hooked a thumb at Jordon. "What's up with that?"

"She is angry at you two for leaving her." Martha waved her hand between Castle and Beckett. "So, what's then news?"

Beckett could see the girls looking at them by not looking."Alexis and Jordon, could you step in her please?" She wanted to talk to Jordon away from the video game. Beckett wanted her complete and undivided attention.

Alexis jumped to her feet while Jordon continued to play, ignoring the request. "Jordon please put the game down and come here. We need to talk to you." Beckett softly ordered.

"No." The denial was a softly spoken in return. Jordon continued to play her game.

Beckett looked at the three other occupants in the room. Martha had a looked as though she wanted to say something but was stifling it. Alexis looked plainly dismayed at Jordon's behavior. Castle was sitting on the edge of his desk, looking at her expectantly.

Beckett eyed her daughter and the game on the console. Nonchalantly, she walked over to the console and shut it off. "Now, Jordon." She said in a firm voice. Jordon put the controller down and got to her feet. She stared at her mother for a moment and then reached out to turn the game back on. Beckett stopped her with a hand on the child's wrist. "No more games. We need to talk to you."

"No!" Jordon screamed. "I don't wanna hear nothing! I don't wanna talk to you!" Jordon put her hands over her ears and began to hum off tune very loudly and running towards the stairs leading up to her room.

Beckett was aghast. The only experience she had with children was the ones she babysat when she was a teenager and the few that she had to question in relation to her job. None of her friends or associates had small children. In fact, the youngest person she had any consistent contact with was Alexis and she was 16. She was good at her job, at being a detective. She wanted to be good as a mother, too, but Jordon was not making it easy. She looked at the resident experts in the field of child rearing and found nothing but sympathy. No words of wisdom or even directions to the nearest book of 'Parenting for Dummies.' No help here. She ran up the stairs, following Jordon's loud humming.

Beckett saw the door slam just as she reached it. Then she heard the door lock. She could knock and ask permission to enter then be denied by an 8 year old. Setting her shoulders, Beckett did the parental version of 'NYPD! Open the door! We have a warrant for your arrest!' Taking a deep calming breath, she called out to Jordon. "Jordon! I am your mother and I am telling you to open this door right now or you will be punished."

Beckett paused for a moment, waiting to see if she would be obeyed. Just as she was about to ask Castle for a key a small voice choked with tears said "Ok." The door opened and she saw her daughter dive under the queen sized bed.

Beckett closed her eyes and sent out an apology to her parents for her behavior when she was a young child. Must be the 'Mother's Curse' coming back with a double whammy. Her mother had told her when she was about 10 or so and acting the demon over something she didn't remember that she hoped Kate would have a child just like her one day. It looked like that day had arrived. "Jordon, come on out and so we can talk."

"No."

"Why not?"

"'Cause!"

Beckett wanted to scream. This was worse than trying to question a frightened witness. At least them she could do something because they were generally afraid … "Jordon, are you afraid of something?"

There was a small telling silence. "Nooo." The little girl's voice didn't sound so sure.

'_Ok. She's afraid about something and so we are going to playing guessing games.' _Beckett thought. "Are you angry with me?"

"Umhummm"

Beckett peered under the bed. Who cleaned Castle's apartment? His place was spotless, not even dust bunnies under the bed. Kate shook off the stray thought and focused again on her daughter. "If you come out of there we can talk and find out what we can do to make you feel better."

"You're going to spank me if I come out." Jordon sighed, her voice sounding old and tired.

"I give you my word, I will never strike you." Beckett promised.

"Does that mean you won't hit me?" Jordon enquired.

Kate wanted to thump her head on the floor. She sent another fleeting apology to her parents. "Yes."

She began moving towards her mother than stopped. "Is he going to hit me?"

"No, Castle would never a little girl." Beckett assured her.

"Would he hit you?" Jordon stacked her hands under her chin, no longer moving out from under the bed.

Beckett laid flat on the floor and stacked her hands under her chin. Mentally she shrugged. They were talking even if it were on the floor and half under a bed. "Castle writes about bad things but he would never hurt anyone, especially a woman. He is one of the gentlest people you will ever meet."

"Do you like him?" Jordon questioned.

Beckett smiled at the little girl. "Not only do I like him but I love him, too."

"You can do both? You can like someone and love them, too?" Jordon's mind fought with the concept. It didn't seem possible.

"Yep. You can love someone and still like them. Or be angry with them or be happy with them and they can also make you want to pull your hair out by the roots. But it doesn't change the fact you can love someone and like them. Sometimes, you will like them more than love them or love them more than like them." She looked hard at her daughter. "Understand?"

"Mhum." Jordon's brow furrowed. "Or you can like them and not love them or love them but not like them." She postulated.

"You got it." Beckett smiled.

"Do you like me or love me or both?" Jordon asked her mother suddenly.

"Both." Beckett told he daughter after a minute. "You make me want to pull out my hair, too."

Jordon grinned for a moment. "And you'll never give me away again?" Jordon asked in a worried tone.

"Never. You are mine." Beckett answered then grinned. "Forever more."

"Prove it." Jordon's suspicious nature came to the forefront.

"How can I prove it to you?" Beckett flinched. When Castle asked her to marry him she had responded with listing reasons why she couldn't believe him; to prove that he wanted to marry her for her and not for Jordon, no matter how altruistic his other reason might be. _'Damn.'_ Beckett thought. _'We both are scared to love and be loved.'_

Jordon gave a small shrug. "We could write a … a contact." At Beckett's look of confusion Jordon expounded. "That thing a lawyer writes that make people do things they're suppose to do."

"Oh, a contract." Beckett's mind began rolling over the possibilities of that. "We could do that. Sounds like a good idea. Why don't sit on the bed with me and we will discuss the things we want included in our contract."

Jordon eyed her for a moment before scooting out from under her bed and gingerly sitting beside her mom on the bed. Beckett found a pad of paper and a pencil in the bedside table and looked at her daughter. "Now, what do you want in our contract?"

Castle closed the door quietly allowing mother and child to negotiate their peace. He was humbled by Beckett's opinion of him. He went down stairs to tackle his own child and mother.

Alexis and Martha were at the breakfast counter preparing dinner when he entered the kitchen area. "Everything ok, Dad?"

Castle looked at his little girl and realized that she was no longer a little girl. She was almost a grown woman. Where had the time gone? He reached and pulled her into a hug. "Everything is fine, sugar." He looked at his mother and then back to his daughter. "As you know we had blood tests done and got results a few hours ago." Before he could say anything else they both jumped in.

"Are you her dad?" Alexis asked, her face showing both concern for him and delight with having a sibling.

"You aren't her father, are you Richard?" Martha sipped her drink as if it didn't matter to her what he said.

Castle crossed his arms and leaned against the corner of the counter. "Yes to both of you." And he waited.

The ladies faces blanked for a moment while trying to understand his meaning. Alexis face lit up. "I got it." She grinned and kissed his cheek.

"Well, I don't understand." Martha exclaimed a bit gruffly.

"Grams, he isn't her father but he is going to be her dad." Alexis translated for her grandmother.

"What's the…" Martha paused as all the dots connected. "Oh, I see."

"Does this mean you and Detective Beckett are going to …" Alexis grinned, "Close the case?" Alexis wrapped her arms around her father, hugging him tight. "I am so happy for you."

Martha gawked for a moment at her son then nodded. "I knew you swore you'd never get married again, but this … she is the right one for you. You two complement each other." His mother patted Castle's cheek. "Although she's too good for you, you know."

"Always trying to keep me grounded, aren't you, Mother?" His kissed her soft cheek. He pulled back and looked at his daughter. "You ok with this, punkin? You will be gaining a step-mother and a little sister. That is going to be a big change for all of us."

Alexis looked into the worried eyes of her parent. "Dad, like you said, I am gaining not losing anything. And I will be going off to college very soon." She grinned merrily. "Now I know you will be ok. Beckett will keep you on the straight and narrow and you will have another little girl to teach to fence, dance and play laser tag with."

Beckett and Jordon watched from the top of the stairs the sweet father/daughter moment. Beckett had told Jordon almost everything, including the fact that Castle was going to be her dad. Jordon had decided since they were going to live with him and that he was going to be her dad that he ought to be included in the contract. They walked down the staircase hand in hand. Castle met Beckett's eyes over the top his daughter's head, Beckett gave a slight nod towards her own daughter.

"Everything ok now?" Castle asked the room at large.

Jordon glanced up at her mother and her mother gave her a slight nudge. Jordon focused on Castle in a way that was thoroughly familiar. "Beck … Mom and I got a contract." She held up a piece of yellow paper. "You got to be in the contract too 'cause we're gonna be living with you. And this is your house." Jordon told him in one breath.

Castle release his oldest daughter and went over to Jordon. _'She doesn't even reach my belt buckle.'_ He thought inanely. She was so petite, so determined, so frightened of the world and now his to protect. "Shall we discuss this contract in the privacy of my office, Miss Jordon?"

Jordon gave him a strange look and threw a glance at her mother before she nodded and headed towards his office. "You coming?" Castle asked Beckett and held out his arm.

Arm in arm they walked into his office where Jordon was waiting impatiently. "Here." She shoved the 'contract' into his hands and then plopped into a chair in front of his desk. "Read it."

Castle unfolded the paper and began to read Jordon's contract: There were never be any hitting. She would never be given away again. She would not be put in the basement no matter what. She would always be told the truth. Beckett would always keep her safe. She would try to be good. She would call Beckett 'Mom.'

When he finished reading he looked up at Jordon. Castle cleared his throat. "What do you want me to add to your contract, Jordon?"

"You gotta say that you won't hit me, lock me in the basement and you won't kick me out of your house if you get mad at me." She paused and looked at her mother then back at him. "Or my mom if you get mad at her. You can't let nobody take me away either. Ok, Castle?"

Castle looked at the child. Her body was stiff and seemed to be waiting for refusal. He wrote down all the things she had said and then stopped. "Ok, but I have a few things I want to add." He told Jordon.

"What?" Jordon asked warily.

Castle kneeled before Jordon, his hands on her knees. "First, no kicking me. Or having tantrums." He grinned and ruffled her head which caused her to throw a disgusted look at him. "You call me dad, daddy, father or any variation of that, not 'Castle' and you must always tell the truth." He held his big hand out to her, "Deal?"

Jordon placed her hand into his and responded in kind. "Deal."

"You want me to type this up for us to sign?" Castle asked Jordon. Jordon smiled and nodded her head in agreement.

Beckett looked at Jordon and decided now was the time to ask a question that had bothered her for some time. "Jordon, why did you run away from your foster home before Mrs. Turner?" Did you really hate the thought of coming to live with me?"

"Noooo." Jordon drew out the vowel. She looked around the room including Beckett and Castle in her look. "I didn't run away. I saw something bad. Mrs. Reynolds locked me in the basement and when she let me out told me I would end up like that if I told anyone and Mrs. Rossi told me you were a cop."

Castle and Beckett froze and then traded looks. "What did you see, Jordon?" Beckett asked softly.

"I can't tell you." Jordon replied looking at her fingers.

"Jordon, you promised to tell the truth." Beckett reminded her.

Castle interrupted. "She is telling the truth. Just not what we want to hear." He turned towards Jordon. "Sweetie, we need to know what happened.

"I am scared. That man was dead in the basement. That's why I wanted to Aunt Lanie's dead people. If you found him she couldn't hurt me anymore."


	12. Basement and Death

"_I am scared. That man was dead in the basement. That's why I wanted to Aunt Lanie's dead people. If you found him she couldn't hurt me anymore." _ Jordon's words reverberated in their ears. Jordon's face dropped into her hands as she began to cry wracking sobs. Her entire body was shaking at the force of her emotions.

Rick Castle immediately picked up Jordon and sat in her chair placing her on his lap. He wrapped his arms around the little girl, whispering nonsense words to her. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she buried her nose into the warmth found there. Her tears ran down his neck, dampening his shirt. He could feel the bones her little body and wondered if her natural father was small and light. He discarded the idea almost immediately. Beckett was tall for a woman and seemed to prefer her men tall, if Josh, Denning and he were any indication. Granted the other men were slender almost wiry and he was built on the more solid, comfortable side.

Kate was ashamed of herself. When Jordon announced that she had been locked in the basement with a dead man, she went into cop mode wanting to question Jordon. Rick had seen the little girl's disintegration and before she could move had Jordon in his arms comforting her. Something she should have done for her daughter. She smiled slightly. Jordon would be reassured, Rick's arms always made her feel safe and secure. She knew that was the first place Alexis headed when she was feeling as though the world was ganging up on her.

She glanced behind them and saw Martha and Alexis standing there, concern on both of their faces. She stood, waving them out of the room. Quietly, she closed the door on the two of them. Beckett could hear the tears lessening but knew after an emotional upheaval like that Jordon would probably just stay for awhile in the warmth and shelter of Castle's arms.

"Dad will take care of her, Kate. He's really good at making people feel better with his hugs." Alexis offered mirroring Beckett's thoughts.

"That kiddo has had some troubles and I think you have just hit the tip of the iceberg." Martha offered. "Want some coffee?"

Kate settled in a comfortable chair sipping her coffee, inhaling its fragrant smell when she was poked by a manicured finger. "So, spill. What's up with the little one?" Martha's faced looked determined. Alexis was sitting on the arm of the chair just as intent as her grandmother.

Kate heaved a sigh knowing that she was not going to escape without letting these two know what was happening. They were quite as capable as Rick in getting information she didn't want to provide. She gave up the ghost with nary a thought. "Besides the fact that Jordon has been under tremendous stress for God knows how long, apparently she was locked in a basement with a dead body for some time." Kate placed her coffee mug on the table and noticed her hands were shaking.

Martha gasped and grabbed Kate's hand. Alexis came over to sit on the arm of her chair, placing her warm hand on Kate's shoulder. Beckett smiled to herself. The Castle family was a very touchy feely group of people. She and her father hugged, of course, but she was willing to bet that this group could not go more than a few hours without giving a loving touch to one another. It must have been difficult for Castle not to reach out and touch when they only worked together. _"Ah, that's why he was always inches away from me and touched every object in sight." _She had just realized another side to the multi-faceted diamond call Richard Castle.

"How long was she locked in the basement?" Alexis asked. "The poor kid."

"All she told us was that she was locked in a basement with a dead man and told that if she told anyone she would end up like him. She was scared and felt she couldn't trust anyone so that's why she's been acting out. I don't know what else was done to my daughter, but just as soon as she calms down we will talk to her and find out." Beckett told them.

Martha said nothing for a moment. She looked at the closed door of the study and then at her granddaughter. She seemed to have come to some conclusion. "Kate. Alexis. I am going to tell you something that you should know if you don't already." Martha straightened her back and swallowed some of her wine. "Richard does not take kindly to someone he cares about being … ill-treated. He is especially difficult if he loves that person. In fact, you could say he has Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde personality."

Alexis looked confused. "Dad couldn't hurt anyone. It's not in him. He won't hunt or anything like that. I remember him telling me when I was in third grade and some girl hit me that he was proud that I just walked away. He said anyone can hit someone else but it takes some one with," Alexis giggled then mimicked her father, "higher brain functions to realize violence is not an answer but a reaction to a behavior in a lower life form."

Beckett shook her head. She couldn't see Rick Castle being vicious and brutal. She agreed with Alexis that it just wasn't in his personality. He would find a clever way for the person to be punished or he would hurt them financially somehow, but physically, no. He had told her several times over the years that he was a lover and not a fighter when she had suggested that he get some martial arts training or police training if he was going to keep following her into dangerous situations. "No, Martha, I'm sorry, but your son is a pacifist. He doesn't have mean bone in his body."

"Don't tell him I told you this but, he almost killed my second ex-husband for hitting me, knocking me unconscious. Richard thrashed him so bad he was in the hospital for almost two weeks. Richard was 14 years old. What I didn't know then was that he had been mistreating Richard the entire time we had been married, about three years. " Martha looked into her granddaughter's eyes then down at Kate. "When you were three, Alexis, one of your mother's boyfriends spanked you. He got away with a broken nose, bruised ribs and black eyes. We, your mother and I, considered him lucky." She paused and looked at the young women in front of her. "He is still looking for my last ex-husband who gambled away all my money. He is not proud of his behavior, it bothers him, but I do believe that Richard would kill to protect those he loves."

Both Alexis and Kate stared at the older woman before looking at each other. "My dad actually hit someone?" Alexis asked. Beckett couldn't form words.

"He will defend to his last breath what he believes is his. It doesn't change the fact that Richard is a charming affectionate man with an extremely arrogant nature." Martha declared. "I really don't know where he get's that from." She sniffed.

The door of the study opened revealing a tired little girl and a damp daddy. In one hand was her contract and the other was engulfed by her dad's. "Mom, Dad says I gotta tell you about what I saw so you can go get the man and put the lady in jail." She looked up at Castle. "The whole truth, right?"

Castle nodded and sat down on the couch pulling Jordon down with him. Alexis plopped down beside Jordon. She picked up the tissue box offering it to her father and Jordon. "You're a little soggy."

Castle made a face at his daughter before taking a tissue and mopped his neck. "I'm sorry." Came a little voice from his left.

"Nothing to be sorry for, baby girl. I am not going to melt." He tickled her for a moment before adding "That's what daddies are for." Alexis smiled at the byplay between her dad and her new sister. Castle pulled Jordon on to his lap and Alexis scooted over to share in the warmth of her father's body. Kate moved to sit beside Castle and looked at her daughter.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Beckett asked trying to sound like a mom but the cop was pushing to the foreground.

Jordon squeezed her eyes shut and laid her head against Castle's chest. Castle held onto her lightly as she began her story. "I was playing outside the day Mrs. Rossi told me you were going to come get me. She told me lots of things about you but I was scared that you weren't going to keep me. Mrs. Reynolds lived next door to my foster mom, so I thought I would go talk to her about it. She told me I could call her grandma!" Jordon seemed to be outraged by this. "She didn't answer the door so I went around back and looked in the basement windows to see if she was doing the laundry." Jordon stopped and snuggled closer to Castle.

Beckett took Jordon's hand and stroked her hair. Jordon's body was trembling and her eyes were tightly closed. "Jordon, look at me. Tell your story to me and it will help it go away."

Jordon's eyes opened but they had a faraway look in them as if she was seeing the scene in front of her. She bit her lip to bury her grin as she recognized that look from Castle when he was working on a theory. What a difference a little bit of DNA makes. "Her husband was laying on the floor beside the washer and she was standing over him. I thought something was wrong so I ran into her house and down in the basement to help her." Jordon's eyes focused and her head popped up. An angry frown formed between her delicate eyebrows. "She didn't want my help. I told her I would go call 911 and she grabbed me and pushed me into a closet."

"Then what happened, Jordy girl?" Castle asked softly then choked on a laugh when he saw the look Jordon gave him.

"My name is Jordon." She glowered at him. "It is spelled J –"

"Ok, I am sorry. Jordon, what happened next?" Castle could hear a giggle from his right and a smothered laugh from his mother. Beckett was biting her lips.

"I pounded and pounded but she wouldn't let me out." She looked at his then at her mother. "I had an accident." She said shamefaced but then frowned again. "It was Mrs. Reynolds fault." She nodded her head at everyone and everyone nodded back.

"She had another room in the basement. I heard some people talking and then a dragging sound. The door opened and I fell out. Mrs. Reynolds wasn't there but a man was. He grabbed my arm and pushed me into a small room with Mr. Reynolds. He came in and closed the door. He told me he was going to hurt me real bad before he killed me because I was a nosy little girl. I hit him in the nose and tried to run away, but he caught me." She looked at Castle and pulled his face down to her nose. "He made me bleed." She whispered.

Castle sounded like a little boy trading secrets with his best friend but inside he knew someone was going to get hurt when he found them. No one would ever threaten her again. "Where did he make you bleed, honey?"

"My nose and mouth. He hit me real hard, daddy." Jordon paused to see his reaction to her calling him 'daddy.' Castle smiled and kissed her forehead, thanking God for small favors. "He laid down his knife on the Mr. Reynolds and then pushed me down beside him." Jordon stopped; she was on the verge of hyperventilating. Castle rubbed her back while her mother stroked her face and whispered to her, telling her to take big breaths and listen to Castle's heart.

"You're going to be mad and hate at me 'cause I broke the law to. I'm bad just like them." Jordon finally said in a tiny voice. "But, you can't hit me or throw me away or make me leave or anything 'cause I have a … contract." Her voice turned from mouse to lion in a second.

Kate looked at her daughter and felt her pain. This wasn't something that was going to ever go away, but then neither was she. "You are not bad. Nothing you could ever do would make me go away or send you away."

"You promise?" She looked at Castle. "You promise, too?"

Castle took the hand that held the contract tightly in her grip and kissed it. "Signed, sealed and delivered." At her questioning look, he clarified. "You have a contract with our signatures and we give you our promises."

Jordon tightened her grip on her dad's shirt and on her mother's hand. "He started pulling on my clothes, but I got the knife and stuck him with it then ran out of the basement and out of the house. Mrs. Reynolds tried to catch me but I ran real fast. They couldn't find me 'cause I hid in the tree house at Bobby's 'til I could figure out what to do."

Alexis touched Jordon's shoulder. "Why didn't you go back to your foster mother's?"

Jordon gave Alexis' such a pitying look that almost set the adults to laughter. "Duh. Mrs. Reynolds knows where I lived." Jordon rolled her eyes. "Bobby smuggled me food and some of his clothes. I decided to go find you, but I got lost." Jordon looked up at her mother. "Can you go arrest him now?" She asked almost pleading.

Beckett grinned at her daughter. If nothing else, this kid was a survivor. Nothing would keep her down for long. "How did you find Mrs. Rossi?"

Jordon looked at her like her porch light was about to blow. "I found a cop and told him I was lost."

"Why didn't you just tell him or give him my name?" Beckett asked curious.

"He was a cop but I don't know if he was a good cop or a bad one. You think, I am gonna tell a stranger that I stabbed someone?" She tossed a 'get real' look at her mother. "I'm your kid. You gotta help me." Jordon smirked at Kate. "'sides, I waited until I got a contract." Jordon's smirk fell making way for a pout. "I forgot your name and what police house you were at." She muttered.

Castle glanced at the clock. Just shy of 6:30 pm. It was time to eat, put the kids to bed, get in some loving then to catch a killer and child abuser. His plans made, he looked at Kate. "We can't do anything tonight, Kate. We need to get a hold of Mrs. Rossi for information on Jordon's foster mother and then we go catch ourselves a dead man."

The women in the room wondered if he were talking about the apparently deceased Mr. Reynolds or the man that had hurt Jordon. Beckett decided it didn't really matter because the man that had threatened Jordon was about to face an angry momma bear. She looked at Castle's expression as he held Jordon to his chest. That guy had more to worry about than a cop or three gone wild, he had a Castle going after his ass.


	13. Murder Times Three

Katherine Beckett reported to the 12th Precinct with Castle and Jordon in tow early next morning. They had another question and answer period with Jordon before they left the loft. Now she wanted Jordon to give a description of the man to the police sketch artist. Beckett didn't believe for a moment that they would find the body, the man that held Jordon prisoner or even Mrs. Reynolds at this house. If they were smart they would have disappeared the day Jordon had escaped them.

Beckett had called the captain earlier to give him a run down on what was going on. He had the police sketch artist waiting when they arrived. Apparently, Montgomery also had Esposito and Ryan contact Mrs. Rossi for the information regarding the home Jordon stayed in prior to Mrs. Turner. It was a Ms. Tena Hendrickson in Queens they were informed. There were four other foster children residing with her as well as two of her own children and the father of one of her children.

Mrs. Rossi agreed the Hendrickson family situation was far from perfect but there were few foster homes readily available and those that were available did not want children with a history of being difficult or special needs. Both Castle and Beckett bristled at her words but choked them back because they needed her approval at the final custody hearing coming up regarding Jordon.

Castle clued Esposito and Ryan in on what Jordon had gone through during her time in foster care up to and including her having run away after escaping from the basement of Mrs. Reynolds' home, filling in the holes in the information they had already received. Esposito began to curse quietly under his breath in Spanish while Ryan's jaw clenched and unclenched repeatedly while looking at Jordon. Ryan looked at Castle and made a promise. "He is going to suffer."

Less than an hour later they had a sketch of the man who had hurt Jordon and a search warrant in hand. Lanie said she would watch Jordon until Martha came to pick her up. Jordon, however, had other ideas. "I wanna go with you." She protested. "I can help."

Beckett placed a gentle hand on Jordon's shoulder. "I know you do but I can't do my job if I am worried about you. "I need to know that you are safe. That's my job as both your mother and as a police officer." It was apparent by the pouting bottom lip that Jordon didn't like being left behind. "Here. Wear this. It belonged to my mother, your grandmother. Keep it safe for me until we get back." Beckett removed the chain that her mother's ring was on and placed it about Jordon's neck. Jordon nodded before wrapping her arms around Beckett's waist and hugged her tightly.

Beckett cleared her throat. Her eyes traveled over the men accompanying her to serve the warrant. Esposito and Ryan were flanking Castle and suddenly it occurred to her that Castle probably shouldn't go either, but as she opened her lips to tell him so she saw him cross his arms and shake his head. She knew that look. It is the same one he gave her every time she told him to stay in the car. She tried not to grin. _'And we know how well that works don't we, ladies and gentlemen.' _She thought and found those sentiments echoed in his eyes.

"Can we wait in the morgue?" Jordon asked Lanie. "You can teach me some stuff. Like how you know how somebody died or was murdered." Jordon looked at her parents briefly before grabbing Lanie's hand and pulling her to the elevators. "Can a head really explode in a microwave?"

Beckett and crew watched Jordon and Lanie being swallowed by the elevator. "Let's go get them." Beckett said.

45 minutes later they were on the front porch of Mrs. Reynolds' home. Beckett and Castle were banging on the front door and the other two went around back. There were no papers the porch, but the mailbox was stuffed with mail signaling that the occupants of the house were no longer in residence and hadn't been for some time. Just as she was about to force the door, Castle stopped her and reached over her head to the ledge above the door pulling down a key. He shrugged and fitted the key into the lock. The odor of a decomposing body struck them causing Castle to gag. Beckett barely kept herself in check. She wanted to throw a hand over her mouth and pinch her nostrils, but pride kept her hands on her weapon.

Beckett yelled out the standard announcement to the house at large as was required. "NYPD! Police! We have a search warrant!" and slowly entered the house, 9 mm at ready, fanning from left to right. She heard the backdoor open and Esposito enter announcing himself. The three of them cleared the house before they realized that Castle was not with them. She figured that he could not stand the smell emanating from the house and had decided not to enter. They found no remains in the house, but they still had an attic and basement to search.

Cautiously, they went down the stairs that led from the kitchen to the basement. As they entered the large, finished basement the smell almost overwhelmed the detectives. Castle stood with his back to them. "Castle, what are you doing?" Beckett asked.

Castle turned around, his hand extended. In his palm were foam earplugs. He had earplugs in his nose, though his eyes were tearing from the stench. Gratefully, they all grabbed a pair, murmuring their thanks. He pointed to a side door, the door that Jordon had been attacked in. Esposito pulled his weapon up and tired the door knob. It turned easily. He nodded to his associates and shoved the door open dropping the tip of his weapon down into ready position, prepared to fire if necessary.

On the floor three people lay dead on the floor: An older man, an older woman and a younger man. There were no obvious sign of why the older man was dead but the woman they supposed was Mrs. Reynolds had a single bullet hole in her forehead. The younger man had several stab wounds to his neck, chest and groin. His carotid artery had been sliced from ear to ear.

Beckett glanced at Castle. His face was blank, unsurprised, telling her nothing which in itself told her everything. She could see the wheels turning in his head. He was working on a theory as to how a small child could inflict this much harm on people so much larger than her. In the end, he looked at her and said "I got nothing." There was no way Jordon could have physically done this, but was it feasible that she had seen who did?

As they carried on their silent communication, Ryan called the station informing the Captain of the results of their search and requesting the CSU and a medical examiner because they weren't official dead until the medical examiner said they were. Beckett left Ryan and Esposito in the Reynolds' house to wrap up things there while they questioned the neighbors. Beckett decided the place to start was with Ms. Hendrickson, Jordon's ex-foster mother. As they were leaving she caught a fleeting smirk on Castle's face before it was replaced with sober mien. A moment of worry flashed through her remembering what Martha had said about her son protecting those he loved, ones that he considered his. She shook it off, deciding he was probably feeling more than a little pleased that the people who hurt Jordon were dead and she really couldn't blame him, but it still bother her detective senses. Castle had more facets to his personality than the Hope Diamond. Each day with him was a new adventure. She just hoped that it remained an adventure and would not develop into a nightmare.

Beckett knocked on Ms. Hendrickson's door. A man pulled the door open. It was only her training that kept her lip from curling in disgust. He wore a dirty red wife beater, his pants just barely hanging on to his hips. In his right hand were a beer and a cigarette. He was her height and about her weight. His hair was a long and stringy, dirty blonde with mud colored eyes which he ran over Beckett's tight form. He smiled slight showing discolored, stained teeth. "See somethin' shu want, sugar?" He asked reaching for her.

Castle knocked his hand aside and stepped in front of her. Impatiently, she pushed him back with just a finger. "I'm the cop. You're the writer. I have the gun to shoot sleazebags with and you have the pen to write about it. Remember?"

The two men stared at each other for a long moment, not even acknowledging her words. Just as she was about to let them how she felt about the testosterone warfare being waged in front of her, the sleazebag stepped away from her and Castle. "What shu want?" He asked sullenly.

Beckett identified herself and Castle, explaining in as few words as possible what they were doing here. "I would like to speak to your wife, Mr. Hendrickson." Beckett asked politely.

"I ain't got no wife, just the ole' lady and she ain't here." He replied pulling a drag from his cigarette and then sucking down on his beer.

Beckett could swear she hear Castle growling, a deep rumbling sound was coming from her. She looked at him expecting to see him transforming into a 7 foot green monster and answering to the name "Hulk." He looked as bland as he had coming out of the basement. "What is your name?" She asked the dirty little man in the door way. "We really need to talk. Do you mind if we come in?"

"Call me Raley. Bill Raley." He answered and stepped back, throwing an arm behind him and bowing. "Come on in."

They entered the home and found it surprisingly clean, lived, in but clean. There were two adults and six children that resided here according to Mrs. Rossi. The only trash was standing in front of them blowing smoke rings. "When will Ms. Hendrickson be back, Mr. Raley?"

Bill Raley shrugged and threw himself into a chair, one leg over the arm rest. He flipped his cigarette butt into the fireplace a few feet away and took the last swallow of his beer. "She took the kids to school this morning and ain't got back yet."

Castle looked at his watch. It was 11:45 am. "Does she work somewhere?" He asked, pinning the little man with his cold blue eyes.

"Yeah. Here. Maybe she went to the store or something." He answered back and picked up the TV remote.

Beckett took it from his hand. She gave him a wintry smile. "No need for that. We will keep you entertained." Beckett pierced him with a look. "I don't have the time or the inclination to mess around with you. You can answer my questions here or down at the station. Your choice?"

Raley sighed and shot a look at Castle. "I know you from somewheres, huh? You a writer, like she said. What you write, maybe I read some of it."

Castle eyeballed him with revulsion. "I doubt that. Neandertals do not possess the ability to read. How did you survive so many millennia?"

Beckett coughed to cover her laughter. Raley's mouth dropped opened. "Did shu just call me stupid?"

Castle's eye brow rose. "The implication was there however your interpretation regarding my statement fails to meet the necessary criteria to define stupidity." He answered dryly. "In other words, if the shoe fits, … eat it."

Before Beckett could intervene, Ms. Hendrickson walked through the door with three of the six children. Beckett immediately identified herself and then Castle. She nodded at Beckett and then turned to Castle. Her face went white, almost matching her bleached hair, and backed up a few steps before stopping and looking at Castle again. "Sorry. I thought you was the guy that was here right after one of my kids ran away. You kinda look like him 'cept you be taller." She ran her eyes over Castle. "Much taller an' bigger."

Beckett attacked her statement with the doggedness of a starving person, pulling every relevant bit of information from her about Jordon, the stranger and the people next door. Ms. Hendrickson was a virtual wealth of information. She thought Jordon was a good kid, never any real trouble, always ready to help and good with the younger kids. The stranger had been seen in the neighborhood several times after she had gotten Jordon several months ago. As far as the people next door went, Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds lived there as long as she could remember and had taken in foster kids for a long time. Something had happened to one of them and Mrs. Reynolds lost her license.

Beckett thanked Ms. Hendrickson for the information and started to leave. "How is Jordon? Is she ok now?" Jordon's ex-foster mother asked.

Castle looked at the tired looking woman and at the bum smoking another cigarette in the chair. Beckett told her that Jordon was doing great and that she had not run away from her. The foster mother gave a small smile. "I try to be good to these kids 'cause they mostly been in bad way, but Jordon was special in a lot aways." She shrugged. "That stranger seemed to thinks so, too. Even if he got her last name wrong, but she was the only Jordon I had and it helped feed and clothes the kids. Every week he'd put a hunerd bucks in the mailbox in an envelope." She pulled out some envelopes and held them out to Beckett. Beckett pulled out a blue surgical glove from her pocket and took the envelopes. Written across the front in precise handwriting were the words: For the Care of Jordon Alexander.


	14. Martha's story

As they were leaving Ms. Hendrickson's house, police units from 107th pulled up. Detective James La Rue thanked them for their help and informed that she was relieved of the case for two reasons. The murders were not in the 12th area and the murders involved her daughter. One she would have fought tooth and nail but the second was spot on and she could not deny. Jordon, Castle and Beckett had a personal connection to the murders in the way of the 6 degrees of separation.

Beckett and Castle drove back to the 12th in silence. Well, silence on her part. Castle was expounding Milgrams's small world theory and it's relation to the shrinking world which is also called the 'human web' as well as the 6 Degrees of Separation. He thought it rather humorous in a macabre sort of way that the father of Jordon was related to him which made Castle related to Jordon and through Jordon to her mother which he had met prior to knowing about Jordon. "Castle. Shut up!"

Castle wound to a stop, observing his partner for a moment before laying a gentle, warm hand on her thigh. "I'm sorry, Kate. You have probably noticed when I can't think of anything to say I have a tendency to fill the silence with theories and factoids."

Beckett didn't smile back but patted his hand before removing from her thigh. "I have a lot of questions right now and no answers." She heaved a sigh and began enumerating them. "Presupposing that he knew Jordon was his …"

Castle took up the question. "How did he know where to find her?" How did he …"

"Know that she was his daughter, too? Why did…."

"He kill at least two people. Because the …."

"Genital stabbing on the younger victim suggests…."

"There was a personal element to all of it."

They both paused and grinned at the other. If nothing else they had their mojo working overtime. Beckett's eyes sharpened and she slid a tense peek at Castle. "You didn't know who your father was, but you had your mother to take care of you. What if your brother didn't? What if he was in foster care with Mrs. Reynolds?"

Castle ran theories and possibilities through his mind. "Kate, what if he knew who you were from the start and followed you? It is possible he had a crush on you in the 'loved you from afar kind of way.' "

"That's called 'Stalker' in legal lingo." Beckett frowned and then shivered a little. "If he knew I was pregnant, why didn't he contact me?" She tossed a confused look at Castle then grinned. "If your supposition is accurate, I must be bait to Castles'"

Castle grinned heatedly. "Castle is the name I legally changed mine to when I was in college. As I told you before it was Richard Alexander Rodgers, but you aren't bait. You are the ambrosia from the gods. You are pure sweet honey calling to a hungry bear. " His smile dropped and thought about the first part of her question. "Maybe Jordon wasn't in his scenario. Maybe he was too young to support a child then. The last name bit on the envelopes? A little over the top, but it could have been his way of connecting with his daughter."

"Or he could just be crazy. I seem to attract those." She quickly ran her eyes over him. "Alexander. Your middle name and his last name? There has to be a connection." She pulled up in front of the precinct. She pulled the key from the steering column and twisted in her seat to look at Castle.

"Mother, where are you now?" Castle said into his cell phone and listened for a moment. "Kate and I will be home shortly and we need to talk to you." He hung up, looked at his partner. "Will you be able to find out if there are fingerprints on the envelopes and to whom they belong?"

Beckett swung out the door of the car. "Of course" and pulled the envelopes from her back pocket and held it up. It was in a sealed evidence bag. "I am sure Ryan or Lanie can do this."

Castle grinned happily at Beckett. "Cool."

Beckett reported back to Captain Montgomery and told him since the 107th was taking over the case she was going back on family leave. He leveled a look at her in patent disbelief. "Detective La Rue would like to question Jordon." At the first sound of denial, he held up his hand. "You would do the same thing."

Beckett shrugged and sighed. "I'll call him and set up an interview time."

Castle waited for his boys to make an appearance. He wanted to find out if they found anything after he and Beckett had left to question the neighbors. Apparently, Mrs. Reynolds had several photograph albums of various children. Each photograph was a wealth of information. Beneath each photo was a name, case number and dates. Castle smiled. They might have just caught a break. His smile dropped when he realized they would have to go to the 107th to view the new evidence.

"We need to go to the 107th."

"We need to go to the 107th."

Beckett and Castle said at the same time as she rounded her desk heading for Ryan, Esposito and Castle. The boys glanced at each other and shook their heads. Someday they would get used to this thing with their boss and the writer, but today was not the day. Their eyes followed the verbal tennis match between the two …. friends.

Castle crossed his arms and hitched his hip onto Ryan's desk. "Why?"

Beckett mimicked the pose on Esposito's. "You tell me first."

"I asked first."

"I have a gun."

"You win. But someday…" Castle gave Beckett a narrowed eye glare, his jaw squaring then smiled. "There are photographs with names, dates and case numbers."

Beckett grinned. "Detective La Rue wants to question Jordon." She tossed the evidence envelope to Kevin Ryan. "Think you can pull prints off that?"

Before Ryan had a chance to pick it up, Esposito swooped it up. "I'll take it down to Lanie, but weren't you supposed to turn all evidence over to the 107th?"

"I forgot I had it. And since I had it I thought I would save them the trouble of running it for prints and do it for them." She gave them all a sincere face. "I will give them the information just as soon as we have it to give them."

The girls were playing 'Halo' in Alexis' room. Alexis said Jordon was a natural. Martha, Castle and Beckett sat in his office. Martha's face had whitened to the point of new fallen snow when she heard the questions asked by her son. She knew that he was not going to let it go. She gulped back tears and realized that she had to tell him about everything she had lied to him about since the day of his birth. Her life during that time was like the first line in the Tale of Two Cities 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.'

"Stephen Alexander was your father's name. I met him through your grandfather at a business dinner. Stephen was married and I adored him from the moment I saw him. I thought he loved me too." They could see Martha was no longer in the here and now but in the there and past. "He was a business associate of your grandfather. It wasn't until later that I discovered that my father was not the doting, loving man I had grown up believing he was and that his association with Stephen was far from legal or ethical."

Castle looked as his mother. She had aged decades in just moments. Her blue eyes fixated on her son. "Stephen and I had an affair that had lasted over three years. I was 28 when I got pregnant with you." She blinked back tears. Beckett handed her a tissue and held on to Martha's hand. Castle silently observed his mother with intent eyes. "He told me to abort you. That he still wanted me but he didn't want any more brats. I refused and he hit me. He told me I had one week to get an abortion or he would make me suffer." She blotted her face with the tissue. "I really thought it was just the shock of learning I was pregnant and he would come around."

Martha's face became rigid. "Eight days after him telling me to get an abortion, my father died in a car accident." She looked at Beckett. "He called me after the funeral and told me he had made arrangements for an abortion with a doctor he knew. He said he was tired of women like me trying to take advantage of him and if I didn't I would be next. He said that my father had refused to talk sense into me and had to be punished."

Martha sat in silence for a few minutes allowing everyone to catch their breath. Castle came from around his desk and kneeled in front of his mother. "I went to the doctor, but he couldn't do it. He said it I was too far along." She cradled her son's face in her soft hands. "I am so sorry. I never wanted you to know. I tried to make it up to you, but I failed at every turn."

Richard Castle reached forward and pulled his mother into his arms allowing her to sob freely into his shirt. He didn't know how he felt. He always knew that there was more to the story than she had told him. One fact always remained with him. She was his mother and she loved him. He had never doubted that.

Martha pulled back and continued with her story, gripping his hands. "I told him what the doctor said. He looked at me then slapped me. He told me he didn't want me dead so when the kid was born I was to put it up for adoption. He told me where to live and where to go. I was afraid of him, Richard, and prayed daily that he would relent. I still loved him. I still wanted him. I thought he would change."

"A few weeks before you were born, he came to me and told me his wife had given birth to a son." She gave him a shaky smile. "He told me he had changed his mind. That he didn't want me to give you up for adoption. I was thrilled. By this time I wanted to be as far away from him as possible. He told me he was going to take you and raise you with his son. When I protested he told me that he could simply kill me and take the child. He wanted the money my father had left me and you as my heir were the key to get it. Apparently, his fortune had taken a downturn after my father's 'accident'. He said soon his wife would have an accident and we would marry after a decent interval. He would have her assets and by marrying me he would have mine and yours."

Beckett looked at Martha, confused. "What assets are you talking about? Why would he have access to your money? How much are we talking about here?"

"My mother died about two months before my father. My father had a very old fashioned view of women. He left half of his fortune to me and the other half to any child I had, but he didn't trust me to administer it. My money was to be administered by his lawyers until I married and then my husband would control it. If my child was a boy, he would have control of both my money and his own at the age of 25 if I were unmarried. In the meantime, I had a stipend to live on. All of my child's living expenses would be from the interest of his or her portion." Martha paused. "Anyone want a drink?"

Castle went over to the liquor cabinet and poured his mother her favorite poison. He handed her a glass and sat down beside his mother. She sipped it, holding it in both hands. "Richard's portion upon his birth with cash, assets, stocks, bonds and other things I don't even begin to understand was just shy of 300 million. Of course, he has touched none of it. He and Alexis live on what he earns. So I have no clue what his net worth is now." She took a sip of her drink. "Of course, I have no money because my last husband took it all." She looked at Beckett's staring eyes and offered Kate her glass of Scotch which Kart refused, still bugged eyed at her fiancé.

"Kate, we will talk later and I did try to tell you. Daddy Warbucks remember?" Castle offered.

Martha picked up where she left off. "I was eight months pregnant when I walked out of my family's townhouse and disappeared." She looked at her boy for a moment before continuing. "Richard, I loved your father beyond anything I have ever felt. I could have married him, but the man was psychotic. He would have eventually killed me and I had no doubt that he would have killed you eventually. I left him because I loved him and didn't want to hate him anymore than I did already. I never knew that you could love someone and despise them at the same time. Nor how the love of mother for her child changes her perception of life." She smiled and shook her head. "Never get between a mother and her child. Imagine if it were Alexis and you."

"Where is my father now?" Castle asked his mother quietly.

"Your father's wife died about a year after you were born. He had been looking for us but now that she was dead he had redoubled his efforts. That is why we moved so frequently until you were nine. Two days after your ninth birthday he found us."

"The man on our fire escape in Philadelphia just outside my bedroom." Castle murmured. "I thought it was a nightmare."

Martha nodded. "Oh, it was a nightmare. He was going to take you. He had you by the collar and one arm. You were fighting him. I was pulling you back by the other arm. He let go of you and …"

Castle's eyes went foggy. "He pulled out a gun and fired it at you. I tried to tackle him and we both fell."

Martha nodded. "He died that night." She relaxed and placed her empty glass on the table. "You had a concussion and a broken arm. He broke his back and neck." She hugged her son. "His death freed me from looking over my shoulder. I could now use the money my father left us and provide a decent home for you."

"I killed my father." Castle's voice was matter-of-fact.

Beckett swooped in. "No, it was an accident. He died and you lived." She shook him. "Rick, look at me. It's was an accident." She didn't want him agonizing over something that had happened almost 30 years ago.

Castle hugged her tight allowing what he had believed to have been a childhood nightmare fade from him. He reached out an arm to his mother and pulled her into a three way embrace. "What happened to your brother after his father died?" Beckett asked, her voice muffled by Castle's chest.

"We really need to get a hold of those photographs from the Reynolds' place." Castle said as he released her. "But first I have some questions for our little girl."


	15. Brothers Meet

Jordon sat uneasily between her new parents. She could tell they had some stuff to tell her and by the way they were squirming it wasn't good. "Whadda I do?" She asked resignedly.

"Nothing, honey. We just need to talk about something." Castle responded and rubbed her back. "Why did you say Mrs. Hendrickson was mean to you?" Castle decided to start with the easy and move to the more difficult.

"'Cause I hadda watch her kids all the time. Her kids took my things and ripped 'em up. She said it was my fault for leaving them laying around. But, I don't leave my stuff laying around. They got into 'em." She cried out indignantly.

Beckett sided with Jordon. She had seen her room and it was as neat as an Army barracks. Everything was clean, neat and in its place. She had learned many years ago that every problem had several sides. "She said you were really a good girl and helped out a lot with the kids." Beckett offered.

Jordon gave her a sour look. "She made me. If I didn't she'd walloped me. She and her boyfriend would lock themselves up in a room with their friends. She told me if she had to come out to take care of things she would make me sorry. She said I was the oldest and so it was my job to help out with the younger ones 'cause I needed to learn this stuff since I was going to be a momma someday soon." Jordon's face was a picture of disgust.

"What about her boyfriend?" Castle asked.

"He just watched me. He told me that one day soon he would show me what Mrs. Hendrickson was talking about. Then she'd giggle and he'd laugh." A shiver went through her little body. "I don't know what he meant but I gotta feeling that it wasn't good for me. There was another girl older than me that stayed for a few weeks. She was 14 and they let her go to the party in that room with them." She shook her head. "She ran away the next day. I liked her 'cause she helped me with the kids."

By mutual agreement they dropped anymore questions about Hendrickson and her boyfriend. "We need to tell you what we found at the Reynolds place, sweetheart." Castle said and pulled her onto his lap.

Beckett leaned forward taking her daughter's hand in hers. Before she could say a word Jordon asked about the dead man. "Did you find him? And the guy I stabbed?"

Beckett looked into her azure eyes. "Honey, there were three people dead there. We think it was Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds and the man that assaulted you."

"I didn't kill 'em!" Jordon yelled, panicked. She kept looking between her parents. "Really. Honest. I didn't do it!"

Castle pulled her tight into his arms, soothing her. "We know, sweetie. We know. But we need to know if you know anything about those people or anyone else that came to your house or that you talked to."

Jordon calmed and began thinking. "There was a man that came and gave me an envelope one time to give to Ms. Hendrickson." She looked at Castle. "He kinda looked like you, but he wasn't very big. He was skinny and he kept touching my hair. He told me I was a really pretty girl." She snuggled up to Castle. "He told me that one day real soon I'd have a family of my own. He kinda scared me." She turned to her mother. "He told me that someone would always watch out for me."

"If we showed you a picture could you identify him?" Beckett asked. When Jordon nodded, they told her that they need to take her to see another detective who wanted to ask her questions.

"You guys coming?" Jordon asked. Her face pulled and worried.

"We will be beside you every step of the way." Beckett promised.

They walked into the squad room with Jordon squeezing their hands tight enough to turn her hands white. "Detective La Rue, this is my daughter, Jordon Ferguson."

Jordon pulled her hands away from Beckett and Castle. She frowned at her mother. "No. I am Jordon Rebecca Ferguson Beckett Castle."

Beckett looked at her daughter and tried to formulate a response. "Why so many names now?"

Jordon gave a disgruntled sigh. "Ferguson for my first parents. Beckett for you, my mom, and Castle 'cause he's my dad?" She end the sentence as a question throwing a pleading look to Castle.

Castle nodded and pulled her to his side. "Always and forever."

Jordon pinned a look at the detective and her mother. "See."

Detective La Rue was a big man. Larger than Castle in height and weight, by at least three inches and 50 pounds. He was about 55 years old with thick, curly white hair. His hands were the size of Jordon's head.

The man put out his hand to the little girl. "Hello, Miss Jordon. My name is James La Rue and I would like to ask you some questions, if that is alright with you." His voice was soft and melodious when speaking to the child. "You can call me Jim."

Jordon cautiously put her hand in the huge paw and shook it. "I told 'em everything I could think of already."

Jim held up a finger. "But I got pictures, ok?" He pulled back his chair, put a huge dictionary in the seat and covered it with his jacket. "Your throne awaits."

Jordon giggled and allowed herself to be picked up by the big man. He pushed her up to his desk and opened the photo album. "I am going to talk with your folks. If you see anyone you recognize, give me a holler."

Seeing Jordon's parents shocked looks, La Rue explained. "I have nine kids and 17 grandchildren with three more on the way." He shrugged. "What can I say? I am a French Canadian that is still a practicing Catholic." He grinned at Castle. "Besides, my wife can't keep her hands off the form."

Castle laughed. The man obviously had a ton of experience with children. "Have you found anything yet?"

La Rue turned his light blue eyes on Beckett. "Nothing yet, but thanks for running those prints that you, ah, 'forgot' to give me."

Beckett had the grace to blush. "Sorry, I really did forget. There has been so much going on." She told him about what was going on in Hendrickson home and he said he would run the names and check backgrounds. Beckett's phone rang; she excused herself to answer it.

A moment later, Beckett was back. "You don't need to run William Raley. We got prints back." She looked at her daughter and swallowed hard. "He served 8 years for child pornography."

La Rue looked his fellow detective and her partner. "Lay money that if we search that house, he will be going down for a long stretch. The woman, too."

Beckett was watching Castle. "Besides Ms. Hendrickson's prints and on one envelope Jordon's prints. We had one other set come back. A Mr. Russell Alexander." She grabbed Castle's arm. "He's a social worker at Children's Protective Services. He's been there 12 years."

Jordon yelled. "Daddy, here's a picture of you like what Gram's has on her desk."

They peered at the small, school snapshot of a boy of about 9 or 10. Underneath the picture was inscribed in black pen "Russell David Alexander."

"Bingo." Detective La Rue whispered.

Castle was standing in the 107th squad room when they brought in his brother. Beckett was on one side holding on to his arm and Jordon had her arm around his leg on the other. They needed to talk to Alexander about many things. Beckett had asked if she and Castle could question him before La Rue took over. They weren't, at this moment, concerned about the criminal element, they had some deeply personal questions to ask.

"I'll watch the elf while you talk to him. He's in 5." Referring to the interrogation room Alexander was being placed in.

Jordon watched her parents enter the other room. "Who's the elf?" Jordon demanded. Knowing that she was being made fun of but not quite sure how.

"An elf is a little girl that if she behaves get some candy and soda before dinner while her parents are out of sight."

"I'm an elf." Jordon smiled up at the huge man winningly.

He swung her up to his shoulder. "I thought you might be."

Castle and Beckett sat on the other side of the man they had brought in. Russell Alexander was no more than 5'6" or so. Shorter by three inches than Beckett. He was thin to the point of being emaciated. Castle inventoried his brother's features. Attempting to find some commonalities in general but nothing that he would have caught in passing him by on the street. They shared the same shape of eyes and the color as well as hair color, but these were both common. Castle felt a small surge of disappointment. There was nothing he could look at and say definitely that this was his brother. He needed a blood test to insure that. The question remained did he want to find out that he was related to a multiple murderer?

Beckett had formed her questions while they had all sat quietly. "Do you believe that you are Jordon's father?"

The man cocked his head at her. "You are more beautiful now than you were then. In college. We shared three classes the year your mother died and you never even looked my way. Until the night of the party." Alexander smiled and closed his eyes reliving it. "You passed out on the bed. You were half on and half off. I put you back on the bed and you looked like sleeping beauty. I had to kiss you." He opened his eyes and looked at her. "You were naked and moaning. You wanted me. I know you did even if you never opened your eyes."

Beckett felt a combination of revulsion in learning that she had been raped and relief that she had no part of her downfall except for having been stupid enough to get drunk. She never had more than a glass or two since then. Her drunken behavior and then watching her father spiral downwards into alcoholism before hitting bottom and getting help had turned her off towards booze.

Castle hands were fisted under the table. "You raped her? Are you admitting that?"

Alexander looked at him. "She wanted me. I didn't rape her." He smiled serenely at Beckett. "I understood why you didn't talk to me or keep the product of our love. Your dad needed you. You are a good daughter." He leaned forward to Beckett. "I watched you graduate from the police academy. I was so proud of you. I became a social worker and found our daughter, watched out for her. I knew the day was coming when we would be a family."

Beckett felt her stomach heave. This man was beyond crazy. He would never spend one minute in a prison. He was headed straight for nearest straight jacket. "Why did you kill your foster mother and the others?" Beckett knew she really shouldn't be asking but they were recording them. He seemed to only want to talk to her. He was ignoring Castle completely.

"She hurt me when I was a child. My mother died when I was a child. My father died when he went to get my brother. I was sent to live with her. My foster father was kind to me. I stayed in contact with him after I left. He found out that she was going to hurt some more children and he was going to stop her this time. One of those children was ours, Katherine. They had to die. For killing my foster father and for trying to hurt my little Jordon. Our little girl." He sighed happily.

Castle realized that he probably did not know that he was Castle's brother. "Do you know me?" Castle asked Alexander.

"You are her partner." He smiled at Castle. "Thank you for protecting her all this time and my daughter, too. After I get these charges taken care of and my family is with me, I will find some way to thank you."

Castle could feel the skin crawling on his neck. This guy was worse than any he had ever written about. Well, maybe it was because he was up close and personal rather than the one creating the villain of the piece. Castle and Beckett stood. The man was insane. There was no more for them to learn.

Beckett turned back around and looked at the quietly humming man as he rocked to and fro. "May I take a DNA swab from you?"

Russell Alexander smile blissfully at Detective Beckett. "I would give me life for you. Take what you need."

"I need a bath followed by a shower then be scrubbed again." Beckett said as they left the room, swab in hand.

"I'll help." Castle said placing his hand on the small of her back and escorting from the bull pen to where their daughter waited.

Beckett's six week family leave was up in a couple of days. She really loved the unofficial honeymoon they had experienced over last month. They had decided to get married in the spring. Castle said he was a little disappointed, he wanted to run off to Las Vegas and find an Elvis impersonator, but agreed to a small wedding in April. It was only 8 months away. Legal custody had been signed over to Kate and the adoption process was in full swing. Life was good.

Beckett snuggled against Castle's warm body while his hands wandered over her slightly sweaty one. "Why did you change your name?"

Castle laughed gently. He had been waiting for that question for a long time. "My last name was Rodgers. Kate, the Rodgers name is right up there with Kennedy, Rockefeller and Dunning, part of the great American aristocracy. People were always coming up asking me for something, wanting money. I never knew who liked me for me, loved me. I have two ex-wives to prove that." He sighed and moved slightly. "I changed my name. Dropped out of Harvard as Richard Alexander Rodgers and enrolled in NYU as Richard Edgar Castle. Ironically, the name change did me no good one my books began selling."

"Well, Ricky, I want something from you too." Beckett whispered, her hand traveling south, under the blanket.

Rick grinned then moaned. Yep, he could provide that for the rest of her life.

"Dadddy! Momma!" Jordon's voice woke them from deep slumber. "Aunt Lanie and Uncle 'sposito is here! Get up!" She pounded with what sounded like a shoe on the door.

"We're up, Jordon. Tell them to start the coffee!" He yawned and tried to scratch his chest. Kate's head lay on it. She was asleep again. _'Ah, warm, sleepy Katie. My favorite breakfast.'_

It was almost 45 minutes later before they appeared down stairs. Lanie and Esposito sat on a sofa beside Jordon. Esposito was trying to teach her to say his first name. "The 'J' in Spanish is pronounced at an 'h'. I am called Tio Javier. Ha ve air." Esposito told her again, slowly pronouncing it for her.

Jordon sprang from her spot and ran to her parents. She stopped and put her hands on her hips. "We waited forever for you." She eyed them like naughty children. "Were you wrestlin' again?"

They talked about general things for awhile before Lanie said she needed to talk to them alone. Esposito and Jordon were watching a Wonder Woman cartoon. Castle gestured them to his office and shut the door. "What's wrong, Lanie?" Beckett asked.

Lanie pulled a piece of paper out of her briefcase and handed it to Beckett. "I received the DNA results from Russell Alexander. The reason it took so long was because I had them double check it." She took a deep breath. "He is your brother, Castle, but he's not Jordon's father."

Castle sank into his seat. Kate stared at her best friend. "You mean someone else came in …" Beckett looked at Castle. "There is more of him out there?"

Lanie nodded. She held her friends hands while they absorbed her findings. Castle grinned at Beckett. "Nothing's changed, honey. You still got me, the best of the bunch!"

Beckett relaxed. There was no way around it. Life is what it is. Whether it was a multiple rape thatshe didn't remember or a one night stand that she had never considered, it no longer mattered. "Yeah. I guess." She grinned and kissed his cheek. Castle was her life and he was willing to accept her as she was. Jordon was his daughter. End of conversation. No reason to wait for him to be sure. He knew her and their girl. Time would change nothing.

"Hey, Lanie, can you get away next weekend to go to Las Vegas?" Beckett asked. "I need a maid of honor."


	16. Epilogue

**My most sincere apologies to any and all readers of this story. I believed that I had posted the conclusion many of you requested months ago but apparently senility is creeping up on me faster than my dog going for my lunch. **

**Epilogue**

Lanie dropped into her chair as her mouth fell open. She read at the results again she had received from the lab at Stanford Medical Center and shook her head. No one was going to believe this, but there it was in nice black lettering on white paper spelling out the results of the tests she had sent to them some four months ago. She grinned at the thought of her friends faces when she explained the results. _This was going to be good_, she thought as she grabbed her jacket and charged out the door.

Richard Castle heard the rumbling of voices that grew into shrieks and the running of feet beating down the staircase. He knew beyond a doubt that his daughters were at the root of the noise. Kate was sleeping as she had worked into the wee hours of the morning on a case and did not need to be disturbed for anything. Before he got to his office door it slammed open depositing Jordon at his feet with a fuming Alexis just a few feet away.

Going by the expression on his eldest face, he thought it wise to protect his youngest from certain death, again. Castle pulled Jordon up and behind him. "What's going on?" He asked mildly while blocking Alexis grab at her sister.

Castle felt little fingers tighten on his shirt. Alexis' eyes glowed with fury. "You can't protect her forever!" Alexis took a deep breath and pushed her hair back. "She got my phone and called Ashley."

Castle didn't really see the problem so far. Jordon had done far worse in the last four months. It was a wonder that she hadn't be seriously hurt or hurt someone else with her antics.

"I didn't 'neither. Your phone rang and I answered it." Jordon yelled.

Castle knew that there was more to this story than an answered phone. "And then what? Where were you?"

Alexis' body vibrated with suppressed rage. "I was hunting for my phone that I found in her room. She told him I was..." She swallowed hard and hissed at her little sister. "Practicing sex."

Castle was dumbfounded. He looked at both of his daughters and said nothing. "Dad, I was studying the human reproductive cycle for Anatomy and Physiology!" Alexis yelled as she grabbed at Jordon again.

Castle heard the doorbell and almost sighed in relief. He started for the door, paused, and grabbed up Jordon giving wide berth to Alexis. He didn't think his oldest would kill his youngest if he was holding her. As he reached the door, he saw Kate at the bottom of the stairs; he placed Jordon in her arms for safe keeping. "You might need your weapon." He told his wife and cocked his head towards the red headed fury stalking Jordon.

Castle pulled the door just as the door bell rang again. Lanie charged into the room, barreling past him and went straight to Kate. She stopped and looked at the two girls before looking at Kate. "Is this a bad time?" Lanie took a deep breath. "Even if it is, we have to talk. Now. It is important."

Kate put Jordon down and looked at Alexis. "You can't kill her. Wait until we are finished here and we will talk it out." Kate turned her eyes towards Jordon. "Apologize to Alexis. I don't know what you did yet, but I am willing to bet that it would be justifiable homicide."

Jordon's bottom lip turned out in a pout as she turned soulful blue eyes at her mother. "Apologize. Now." Kate repeated giving a gentle pull on Jordon's braid.

Jordon turned her eyes at her sister; a crystalline tear fell down her small check. "I'm sorry for telling Ashley that you were doing sex. And for touching your phone. I won't do it again. I promise. Cross my heart." Jordon crossed her heart and looked imploring at her big sister.

Lanie and Kate's heads swiveled and their eyes widened as the stared at Alexis. "Anatomy and Physiology." Alexis said loudly, clearly affronted. "Ok, Jordon. They won't let me kill you yet, but some day…" She trailed off before she smiled at her sister and began climbing the stairs with Jordon trailing behind her asking "someday what?"

While the women settled onto the sofa, Castle brewed some jasmine tea for Lanie. He placed the tea and two cups of coffee on to a tray with some napkins and cookies. Placing the tray on the coffee table, he settled in beside Kate. "What's the emergency, Lanie?" Kate asked while handing her a cup of tea. Castle grabbed two cups of coffee, handed one to his wife and sipped his in silence.

Lanie handed Kate the test results from Sanford. "The first time we ran the DNA from your …. Russell Alexander we did it from the swab you collected from him. We all know the results of that test." Lanie sipped her tea, inhaling the sweet fragrance of the jasmine. "I had it run again from his blood then had the lab compare the swab to the blood test. Then we compared the blood test DNA to Jordon's DNA. They match. He is, biologically speaking, her father."

Kate and Castle's reaction did not disappoint Lanie. She quickly sat down her cup and grabbed theirs before they dropped them. Castle's mouth was moving but nothing was coming out. He turned to look at Kate, both of them wearing looks of staggered bewilderment. "The condition is called a Chimera. A chimera's DNA is the same as anyone else's - they just have two different kinds of DNA. Some cells have one kind, the rest have a different kind. It is caused by a fusion of two different zygotes during early pregnancy. Fraternal twins become one thus different DNA."

Castle picked up his cup and took a healthy swallow before grinning widely. "So Russell ate his brother in the womb. Wow, crazy I knew he was, but this…" Castle shook his head, laughing softly until his wife batted the back of his head. Coffee sloshed over the lip of the cup, down his face and on to his shirt. "Hey! That …." He shut up and grabbed a napkin from the coffee table. The looks on the women's face told him to continue along this vein could be painful.

"So, bottom line, he is Jordon's biological father and there was no one else." Kate summed up Lanie explanation.

"Yep, just some weird circumstances and DNA. But then you go for the weird…" Lanie said as she watched her best friend's husband mopping his shirt.

"Weird is my life." Kate told Lanie just as they heard Alexis yell at Jordon.

"You read my diary, you little imp! That's it! Dad! I am going to kill her this time!" Alexis screamed from upstairs.

"Gotta catch me first!" Jordon yelled as her feet began moving. "Momma! Daddy! Help me!"

y


End file.
